Union Township (part 4 of 4)

Lewis Ball started a store where G. C. Reisinger now lives, and Wilson Ball one where the stable of Frederic Kautz now stands. William Cappe built where Charles Miller lives, and kept hotel, groceries and liquors. After Arnheim was laid out, Frederic Handman bought the lot and built the house where John J. Bohrer lives. Jacob S. Campbell built a log house opposite Kautz's store, and a black smith shop north of his house. He was the first Postmaster of the village. Augustus Straight built the house on the hill where Martin List now lives (where Lewis Braun lived for many years), and Miller Straight built the house where Conrad Hagins lives; he also kept a drinking saloon, but soon sold out. Frederick Henges built the house now owned by Stephen Bohrer, at the corner of Water street and the Sardinia road, and John Ferdinand the one where his widow now lives. Dr. Joseph T. Richardson built where Henry Bohl lives, and sold it to members of the German Reformed Church for a parsonage, and built where E. A. Lindsey lives, and there resided for several years. He was the first physician who settled in Arnheim, and was a member of the Fifty-third General Assembly, 1858-60, elected on the Democratic ticket. He sold his property to John Haas and moved to Higginsport. John Haas built an addition to the house for a store, and lived here until his death. E. A. Lindsey then bought the property, where he still lives, and keeps a general variety store, and is Postmaster. John Lauth sold to A. C. H. Cotterill, who kept a store and whisky saloon; he afterward bought the house where Charles Miller now lives, kept store there for several years, sold out and went to New Hope. Lewis Ball sold his store to Messrs. Allen & Davis, Davis building the house where John Mueller now lives. They remained in partnership until the death of Allen, after which W. C. Davis continued the business, and, when Campbell left Arnheim, was appointed Postmaster. He sold out, and Frederick Handman opened a store in the same building, and bought the John Lauth property, remodeled it, building an addition for a dwelling, where he lived and kept store for many years, doing a large business. He was Postmaster and Notary Public. In 1873, he made an assignment, and shortly moved to Kentucky, and died in Germany while on a visit.

In 1875, Frederic Kautz and P. W. Gross started a store at Handman'sold stand, under the firm name of Kautz & Gross, and, after about three years, Gross retired, and the business is still carried on by Kautz. Thomas Lindsey bought out A C. H. Cotterill; lived there for nine years, keeping groceries and liquors, and sold to R. B. Dunn, who continued the business for several years He was also appointed Postmaster, and, when he left Arnheim,* G. CReisenger became his successor, and was Postmaster until 1881, when he resigned, and E. A. Lindsey was appointed. There are at present, in Arnheim two stores, one blacksmith shop, one wagon shop, one cabinet-maker and undertaker, one tailor, one house carpenter, one carpenter and plasterer, one hotel and saloon, one brewery (but not in operation), one tobacco warehouse (owned by E. A. Lindsey, but O. B. Moore, of Sardinia, is now there prizing tobacco), one Catholic Church, and schoolhouse of Subdistrict No. 5, the Lutheran and German Reformed Churches being just outside of the village. The population by the census of 1880 was ninety-eight.

What is known as the Abbott Mill, now owned by James Martin, was, until 1853, in Franklin Township. The first mill was built at a very early day, by Jesse Thompson, and, after his death, his sons, James and Samuel, operated it for some years, and sold to John Abbott, who afterward built the present mill, some fifty or more years ago.

George Schultz built a mill on Straight Creek, on the farm now owned by the writer, not far from 1820, but it did little good; when the creek was low, there would not be sufficient water come into the mill-race, and when it was high, the water would back up on the wheel, there not being sufficient fall just below the mill; some parts of this one were used in the present Abbott Mill.

Jacob Newman built a log horse mill on the farm now owned by Allen Hendrixson, every one taking a grist furnishing the horses and doing his own grinding. Wheat was ground the same as corn, and sifted by hand. Charles Abbott says he once stayed two days and one night at this mill, going home occasionally for something to eat, and feed for his horses, not daring to take them away, for by so doing he would lose his turn. Thomas Harris bought this mill, moved it to his farm on West Fork, and, after his death, James Dennis bought and operated it for several years.

George Bohrer built a mill with tread- wheel. In dry times, this mill was kept going day and night. He sold it to Frederic Haudman, who moved it to Arnheim, and changed it so the horses were hitched to levers. It was used occasionally for grinding corn as late as 1865. There are three steam saw-mills now owned in the township, two stationary and one portable.

In 1832, George Bohrer built a steam saw mill on the farm now owned by Jacob Bohrer. He sold half of his interest to Samuel G. Moore, and, about 1836 or 1847, they moved it to where Inskeep's Mill now stands. Moore sold his half to Lemuel Postlewaite, and, in 1845, Job and Fountain Inskeep bought Postlewaite's interest, and ran the mill, in company with Bohrer, until 1847, when they bought his half. They ran it in company until 1867, when Job bought his brother's interest. In 1872, he put in a spoke-lathe, felloebenders, planer, etc., and in 1881 he put in a new engine, boiler and circular saws, and has a pair of French buhrs on which to grind corn.

Tracy's steam saw-mill, in the northeastern part of the township, was built by Daniel Markley about 1853. He sold to M. D. Barngrover about 1870. In 1874, Barngrover sold to Tracy & Waters, and, about 1879, Waters sold his interest to Martin Tracy, and afterward Ira Tracy sold his interest tc his son Frank. It is now owned by Martin and Frank Tracy, but is rented by Randolph Waters, who is now running it. There is a pair of buhrs in this mill on which corn is ground every Tuesday and Friday.

G. C. Reisinger & Co. have a large portable steam saw-mill in the township. It was purchased new in 1881, and is owned by G. C. Reisinger, Lewis Kattein and Adam and Jacob Bohrer.

The first church built in the township, and probably in the county, was the Straight Creek Baptist Church, built of round logs at a very early day, on Straight Creek, just above the present village of Arnheim, on ground given by James Prickett. This society was organized by Rev. Charles B. Smith, who preached at the cabins of the settlers and in the woods until the log church was built. As the church became old and the members more numerous, they built (not far from 1820) the brick church which is now in ruins. The water for making the brick was hauled in an ox-cart by William Long, now of Eagle Township, when a small boy, and the bric^ made by Woodbeck Low, the clay being tramped by oxen; the pits where this was done still remain in the churchyard. We have tried to find some record of the members of this church and the date of its organization, and, although we've searched most diligently in six townships, the search has been unavailing. Stout Drake, who died in Pleasant Township some four years since, was for many years Secretary, and had the records, but we find no trace of them since his death.

Lutheran Church. - This church was organized in 1832, by Rev. Gerhardt. The members bought three-quarters of an acre of ground of Louis Weaver, and on it erected a log building. Among the members were Peter Schatzman, George Bohl, Peter Biery, Michael Ziegler, Phillip Faul, Frederic Neu, Adam Bohl, Louis Weaver, Valentine Bauer, Jacob Arn, John Kautz and Sebastian Kautz. In 1846, a division occurred in the church, and some eleven or welve families withdrew and organized the German Reformed Church. The present brick church was built A. D. 1852, Henry Kress doing the brick work and plastering.

German Reformed Church. - This church was organized in 1845, by Rev. F. Wahl. Among the members at that time were Jacob Gross, George P. Biery, Christopher Steinmann, Valentine Schaeffer, Peter Bauer, Adam Bauer, Adam Bohl, Frederic Ringeiser, Peter Mattell, Jacob Bohrer and Francis Hauck. They built the church A. D. 1847, on half an acre of ground bought of James Ball, and united with the German Reformed Synod of Ohio, which now belongs to the Cincinnati Classes of the Central Ohio Synod. The same pastor is in charge of this congregation and the one at Higginsport.

West Fork Church. - This society was first organized September 17, 1842, by Elder N. Dawson, on Middle Run, in Washington Township, at the house of Charles Thompson, where Charles C. Miller now lives, with fourteen members. June 27. 1846, "the church met at the new meeting-house on West Fork." December 25, 1854, a division occurred, part of the members continuing as the church of Christ at West Fork (or, as it is known in the proceedings, at Republican), and part uniting with the society at Immanuel's Chapel, in Jackson Township.

The church went down in 1862. In 1864, it was re-organized, with seventeen members, and continued as such organization until, under the charge of Elder W. H. Robinson. In 1867, it joined the Christian Union Conference, and has since been known as the Christian Union Church. There has been no regular service since 1879.

There are six burying-grounds in the township - the Catholic Cemetery, where the old Catholic Church was built; one at each of the others; the old Straight Creek Baptist, the Lutheran, the German Reformed, and the West Fork, or Christian Union Churches, and the one on the farm owned by Benjamin Wardlow, known as the Abbott Burying- Ground. The latter, and those at the old Baptist and West Fork Churches, are public burying-grounds, and in them are buried most of the pioneers of the township. Here " the multitude comes, like the flower or the weed, that withers away to let others succeed." In the others, only the families of those connected with the respective churches are buried.

Franklin Township for many years was divided into six school districts, but the house of Subdistrict No. 4 burned down in the winter of 1872-73, and in the spring that subdistrict was divided, and at the present time there are seven subdistricts in the township. All the schoolhouses in the township are frame, with the exception of the one in Arnheim (Subdistrict No. 5), which is of brick. The latter and the one in Subdistrict No. 2 are old houses ; the others have been built since the spring of 1873. The negroes in the western part of the township are, for school purposes, attached to Scott Township, in which the schoolhouse is situated.

Franklin Grange

Franklin Grange, of the Patrons of Husbandry, was organized January 2, 1874, the charter members being E. T. Reed, M. G. Ziegler, C. F. Schatzman, Joseph Schatzman, J. T. Schatzman, Allen Hendrixson, W. M. Hendrixson, L. M. Wolcott, Levi Myers, Joseph Lucas, Daily Kratzer, Jacob Miller, Louisa Wolcott, M. A. Hendrixson, Elvira Reed and Mary Miller. The same year, they built a neat and commodious hall, with a storeroom in the first story, on the Ripley & Arnheim Turnpike, on ground bought of Joseph Lucas. At the present time, the officers are: C. F. Schatzman, Master; Levi Myers,

The Georgetown & Sardinia Railroad, now in course of construction, passes through the western part of the township across its entire width. The Ripley & Arnheim Turnpike is the only macadamized road in the township. This enters it at the south central part, and extends in a northerly direction, to Arnheim, three- fourths of the distance across the township.

In the Township Clerk's books there is no account of the election held at the house of Henry Dunn in January. 1823, but we find that John McBeath, Jacob Pindell and John Lindsey were elected Trustees, and Hezekiah Lindsey, Township Clerk. March 3, 1823, the Trustees met and agreed that the next election for township officers should be held at the house of Jacob Springer, on the first Monday of April next. At this meeting, they selected for Grand Jurors, Phillip Lindsey, Enoch Laycock, Henry Dunn and David Thorp; for Petit Jurors, Gabriel Pindell, James Jacobs and Andrew Moore; and laid off four road districts. On April 26, the additional part of the township was divided into two districts, making Shotpouch Run the dividing line. At this meeting, the schoolhouse near John Lindsey's was selected for holding the elections for the township. This schoolhouse stood about where West Fork Church now stands. The Supervisors for the several road districts were John Fowler, Richard Hewitt, Ezekiel Roddy, John Bunner, James McFadden and Lemuel Monahan. On Monday, March 1, 1824, at a meeting of the Trustees, they settled with the Supervisors, James McFadden reporting that all hands in his district had worked, but made no charge for his services; the others were each allowed $1.50 for their services, except Ezekiel Roddy, John Bunner and Richard Hewitt; they reported that all hands had worked in their respective districts except one day in each; this was deducted from their allowance, and an order for 50 cents each drawn.

and Jacob Pindell; Constables, H. Lindsey, Joseph Newman and James Mc- Fadden; Lister, H. Lindsey; Overseers of Poor, G. Anderson and Isaac Stansberry; Fence Viewers, James Lucas and Henry Prickett; Supervisors, D. Reynolds. G. Anderson, William Brown, Richard Hewitt, Sr., G. Pindell, J. Herron, Joel Martin and William Lindsey. " October 11, Uriah Springer sworn to office of Trustee to fill vacancy caused by death of J. Pindell."