Valley Township

Valley Township

There are seven school districts in the township all with good school houses. The term of school averages about six months in each year and a uniform salary of $35 per month is paid its teachers. The districts are No. 1, Pleasant Hill; No. 2, Arion; No. 3, Lombardville; No. 4, Pond Creek; No. 5, Henley, having the finest building in the township, costing about $1,000. No. 6, Comstock; No. 7, Laurel Point.

The only township cemetery is about one mile north of Lombardville on the Thomas Garvin larm and was given to the township by Mary Garvin. It is probably the oldest burial ground in the township and has interred in it some of the earliest settlers, most of whom have only rough slabs to mark their graves.

Other cemeteries are the Sword, Mershon and the Catholic Cemetery on Pond Creek. Most of the earliest burials on Pond Creek have no headstones and are forgotten or unknown by those living there now.

In the Mershon cemetery are interred Henry Mershon, one of the pioneers of Pond Creek, his son, Samuel, a soldier of the Civil War, and Robert Morehouse, an Englishman and a soldier of the Civil War.

It was formed June 4, 1860, from Jefferson Township and was so named on account of its location. Its territory was originally a part of Seal Township. In 1815, Seal disappeared from the map of Scioto County. On June 4, 1860, a petition was presented to the Commissioners favoring a separate Township to be called "Valley." The question had been voted on in the Spring election and the ticket favoring separation had carried, therefore on presentation of the petition by A. F. Miller, the following action was taken;

"It is now ordered. That a new Township be, and the same is hereby laid off and designated from the territory of the said Jefferson Township as prayed for in said application. And it is further ordered. That the said new Township be known by the name of and called "Valley." And it is further ordered, That the boundaries of the said new Township be recorded in the book kept for that purpose. And it is also further ordered. That an election be held at the tavern of John McCown, in the town of Lucasville, in said Township, on Saturday, June 16, 1860, for the election of Township officers for the said Township of Valley."

The boundaries were: Beginning at the Scioto river where the County line between Scioto and Pike Counties strikes the said river; thence east on said County line between said two Counties to the section line between sections 3 and 4 in Township 3 in said Scioto County; thence south on said line between sections 3 and 4 and between sections 15 and 16 to the southeast corner of section 16; thence west on the south line of said section 16, to the splitting corner on the south line of said section 16; thence south on the north and south splitting line of sections 21, 28 and 33, in said township 3 and of sections 4 and 9, in said township 2 to the south line of said section 9; thence west with the south line of said sections 9, 8 and 7 to the Scioto river; thence north running with the meanders of the Scioto river to the place of beginning.

Lying as it does almost entirely in the Scioto Valley, it is without doubt the best of all the townships for agriculture. There are no large streams except the Scioto which hounds it on the west. Millar's Run crosses it from northeast to southwest near the center. Marsh's Run and Davis's Run crosses the township near the southern end. The eastern border is rough and some of the hillsides are too steep for cultivation, hut the proportion of rough lands is smaller than in any other township in the county. The Scioto Valley contains the best corn land in the county, and seven-eights of Valley Township is of this quality of land.

The value of the Township real estate is $283,550; personal property, $175,601, and the total valuation is $459,151. Among the Townships it ranks eleventh in population; fourth in value of real estate; fifth in personal property; and fourth in total value of both. It is thirteenth in size and has an area of 15,560 acres.

Hezekiah Merritt was the first settler in Valley Township. He raised a crop of corn in the summer of 1796. He was the first Justice of the Peace, in Valley, (then a part of Seal), Township in 1804. Jacob Groniger came in 1798. Some others who followed in the next five years were: James O. and Isaac N.

Johnson, William Marsh, A. P. Millar, Mark Snyder, Henry Spangler. Some other old settlers were: Leonard Groniger, James D. Thomas, Joseph Brant,

In the first few years after its beginning, Lucasville promised to be a large town, thence the population dwindled until it was predicted that the place would be abandoned. This was at the time when the inhabitants were disappointed and disgusted at the canal being built on the west side of the river. Lucasville is now one of the best business locations in the County. Great quantities of lumber and cross ties are shipped from it, while the excellent farming country around furnishes a good healthy trade for the merchants. l.ucasville has an elevator owned by H. S. Grimes of Portsmouth, a steam flour mill and four general stores: Joseph Brant's, C. ,1. Moulton's, Martindale & Edmunds' and P. T. McClelland's. Mr. Brant has a stock of drugs besides his general stock and Mr. McClelland keeps the Post Office. There are two livery stables. W. J. Thomas keeps a hotel. It has two blacksmiths. and two wagon makers, and one undertaker. The physicians are J. B. and C. M. Warwick and M. J. Beard. Lucasville was platted in June, 1819, by Colonel John Lucas from whom it received its name. The plat was recorded August 7, 1819. There were several houses and some business was done here before the town was platted. Colonel John Lucas lived here until his death, of a surfeit of green corn, July 31, 1825. The original plat contained 74 lots and 32 out lots, in all 88 acres. The James D. Thomas Addition made in 1880, contains 10 lots or 2 87-100 acres. The Charles W. Thomas Addition made In 1898, contains 11 lots or 3 1-10 acres.

The first officers of Valley Township were: Treasurer, W. A. Marsh; Clerk, Leonard Groniger; Justices of the Peace, John Wallace and A. F. Millar; Trustees, Clark Galligher, Mark Snyder; Constables, A. C. Turner and John Stewart. The first Board of Education was: Leonard Groniger, A. F. Millar, Mark Snyder, and James D. Thomas. The present officers are: Treasurer, Charles Martindale; Clerk, W. J. Thomas; Justices of the Peace, Adonijah Crain and Adam Turner; Trustees, Joseph Rockwell, James Appel, J. Berntholdt; Constables, James Crain and Charles Schoonover.

The Methodist Episcopal Church of Lucasville was organized in October. 1849, by Rev. Sheldon Parker and Rev. L. A. Atkinson, and a brick church built the same year. The lot on which the church was built was the gift of Doctor D. A. Belknap. His wife started the subscription for the building and secured most of the funds. The original Trustees were: William Marsh. James O. Johnson, and William Miller. The first Sunday School was organized in

Lucasville in 1850. Mrs. Mary Moulton secured the money for the library, and was the first Sunday School Superintendent. The present trustees of the Methodist Church are: J. C. McKinley, J. W. Rockwell, J. H. Finney, J. B. Warwick, C. J. Moulton and J. H. Brant. The membership is about 50. The pastor is Rev. John W. Morgan.

Valley Township schools are among the best in the County. It pays fair wages to its teachers and has from 8 to 10 months school. The Lucasville school is a sub-district but arrangements are made by which the principal receives better wages than the other teachers of the Township. Pupils from districts near attend the Lucasville school after finishing the shorter terms elsewhere, and the class is quite large for two or three months in the spring, in 1860, there were four organized school districts. In 1878, another was added. The schools are as follows: Sub-district No. 1, Johnson School; sub-district No. 2, Lucasville: sub-district No. 3, Cockrell School; sub-district No. 4, Marsh School; sub-district. No. 5, Millar's Run School. The principal, C. D. Walden, receives $82.50 per month, the other male teachers receives $40.00 and the females $35.00 per month. The average attendance is 30 pupils for each school. The school property is worth about $4,000.

Lucasville Lodge, No. 465, F. and A. M. was organized October 16, 1872. The charter members were: Leonard Groniger, A. L. Groniger, Isaac Fullerton, W. M. Thomas, Charles E. Wolf, J. Johnson, J. W. Wakefield, Jacob Fisher, John B. Warwick, M. J. Noel and Nathan James. The first officers were: Thomas J. Pursell. W. M.; A. L. Groniger, S. W.; J. W. Wakefield, J. W.; W. M. Thomas, Secretary and John B. Warwick, Treasurer. The first meetings of the lodge were held in a room over W. J. Thomas's store. In 1883, a two story hall was erected. The lower story is owned and used by Valley Township as a townhouse. The upper story was fitted up for a lodge room at a cost of $2,700. The membership is about 80. The officers :R. J. Smith, W. M. ; Charles Wolf, S. W. ; Milton Martin, J. W. ; G. L. Bricker, Secretary; Joseph Rockwell, Treasurer; C. M. Warwick, S. D.; Jesse Pyles, J. D. ; Tyler, L. J. Wood.

Charles F. Mastin kept a store in Lucasville in 1813. Peter Logan had a blacksmith shop in Lucasville in 1815. In 1813, Dennis Hill had a large tanyard in Lucasville. Colonel John Lucas kept tavern in Lucasville from 1819 to 1825. In 1824, Reason Rouse kept tavern and sold liquor in Lucasville. Abraham Miller & Son, in 1824, started a large general store which was for a time the best in the County. In 1825-6 Joseph Corns kept a store and sold liquor. From 1820 to 1826 Henry Jeffords conducted the stage line and kept tavern at Scioto Inn near Lucasville. In 1824, David Jones kept tavern in Lucasville. He also had a collection of fast horses, and a race track was built and regular races were had for several years. John Lancaster, in 1829, ran a carding machine in Lucasville.

John Dever from the west side, in 1824, rode to Lucasville and spent the day at the tavern. During the day the Scioto river rose rapidly. Members of his family went to the ford in the evening and waited for him to come. When he arrived they warned him not to venture. He said that his horse could jump Big Scioto any time, and he plunged into the water when he and the horse disappeared. The horse rose to the surface and swam out, when Dever's dead body was seen hanging by one foot to the stirrup of the saddle on his horse.

In 1821, a man by the name of Robert Buckles got into a dispute with Doctor Finley at Rouse's Tavern. Buckles had been drinking and Finley being quick tempered struck him with a chair and followed up the blows after he had fallen, until his head was crushed to jelly. Finley was charged with murder, arrested and bound over to appear at the next term of court to answer the charge. J. O. Johnson and others were bondsmen for him. When released on bail he went to Texas, leaving his bondsmen to settle the score.

In 1842, Mrs. Thomas, mother of James L., John and Jacob Thomas, was burned to death at her home below Lucasville. When the fire was discovered, all the family left the building. Mrs. Thomas, thinking of some money which was kept upstairs, returned intending to save it. The fire cut off her retreat by destroying the stairway and it was impossible to rescue her. Near ner charred remains in the wreck of the building, was found a mass of melted silver weighing 28 pounds. A monument marks the spot where she met her death. It stands near the railroad and to the right of the pike going north to Lucasville.

A few of the inscriptions taken from the gravestones are as follows: "In memory of Colonel John Lucas, who died 1825, aged 38 years." Was Colonel in the war of 1812. "In memory of Captain William Lucas, who departed this life, July A. D. 1814, in the 72d year of his age." (A Revolutionary Soldier.) "Susannah Lucas, wife of William Lucas, who departed this life May A. D. 1809, aged G4 years." "Rachel Kendall, wife of General William Kendall, departed this life in 1820."

On the south bank of Millar's Run and immediately on the east side of the Norfolk & Western Railroad track, at the point where it crosses this Run, there stood at the incoming of the nineteenth century, a sycamore of probably two centuries growth. One might probably have searched in vain for another of such immense proportions east of the Sierras and the Cascades, "the land of the monster sequoia." When first discovered by white men, this tree was in a state of decay, with an immense cavity in the trunk extending from the root up into the diverging forks. It measured at the base twentyone feet in diameter and sixty feet in circumference, and tapered abruptly upward. At a point five feet from the ground it measured forty-two feet in circumference. The opening of the cavity at the base was ten feet wide, at the height of five feet it was seven feet wide, and the top of the opening was nine and one-half feet above the ground. The fork was about eight feet from the ground. This enormous tree stood on the farm originally owned by Abraham Miller, later by Thomas Dugan, and at a point about two hundred yards above what is known as Dugan's Grove. It was a natural curiosity often visited by travellers and was the wonder and admiration of all the surrounding country. Many visitors inclined to literary diversion wrote accounts and descriptions of it for publication. One of these articles published in an old Cincinnati Almanac in 1810 tells of a party of fourteen on horseback making a visit to this prodigy of nature and testing the capacity of its cavernous trunk, by all attempting to ride within. One after another rode in until it came the turn of the last of the fourteen. .It was said that he could have found room, but his horse, being a little capricious, could not be induced to enter. This took place June 5, 1808. Those who composed the company were: E. W. Hall and wife, William Trimmer and wife, William Headley, Elizabeth Miller, John Hayes and wife and Cornelius Millar. James Lane remained outside the tree with his skittish horse. The rest of the party were children who came with their parents. This tree stood until the farm fell into Thomas Dugan's hands. One of the large forks was broken off at the time of the incident related above. Dugan had it chopped down and a few years afterwards had the stump removed.

Source changes here: from History of Scioto County, Ohio, Together with a Pioneer Record of Southern Ohio, by Nelson W. Evans A.m, published 1903; 2,411 words in this source stream.

Valley Township

It was formed June 4, 1860, from Jefferson Township and was so named on account of its location. Its territory, was originally a part of Seal Township. In 1815, Seal disappeared from the map of Scioto County. On June 4, 1860, a petition was presented to the Commissioners favoring a separate Township to be called "Valley."' The question had been voted on in the Spring election and the ticket favoring separation had carried, therefore on presentation of the petition by A. F. Miller, the following: action was taken:

"It is now ordered, That a new Township be, and the same is hereby laid off and designated from the territory of the said Jefferson Township as prayed for in said application. And it is further ordered, That the said new Township be known by the name of and called "Valley."' And it is further ordered, That the boundaries of the said new Township be recorded in the book kept for that purpose. And it is also further ordered, That an election be held at the tavern of John McCown, in the town of Lucasville, in said Township, on Saturday, June 16, 1860, for the election of Township officers for the said Township of Valley."

The boundaries were: Beginning at the Scioto river where the County line between Scioto and Pike Counties strikes the said river; thence east on said County line between said two Counties to the section line between sections 3 and 4 in Township 3 in said Scioto County; thence south on said line -between sections 3 and 4 and between sections 15 and 16 to the southeast corner of section 16; thence west on the south line of said section 16, to the splitting corner on the south line of said section 16; thence south on the north and south splitting line of sections 21, 28 and 33, in said township 3 and of sections 4 and 9, in said township 2 to the south line of said section 9; thence west with thesouth line of said sections 9, 8 and 7 to the Scioto river; thence north running with the meanders of the Scioto river to the place of beginning.

Lying jas it does almost entirely in the Scioto Valley, it is without doubt. the best of all the townships for agriculture. There are no large streams except the Scioto which bounds it on the west. Millar's Run crosses it from northeast to southwest near the center. Marsh's Run and Davis's Run crosses the township near the southern end. The eastern border is rough and some of the hillsides are too steep for cultivation. but the proportion of rough lands is smaller than in any other-township in the county. The Scioto Valley contains the best corn land in the county, and seven-eights of Valley Township is of this quality of land.

The value of the Township real estate is $283,550; personal property, $175,601, and the total valuation is $459,151. Among the Townships it ranks eleventh in population; fourth in value of real estate; fifth in personal property; and fourth in total value of both. It is thirteenth in size and has an area of 15,560 acres.

Hezekiah Merritt was the first settler in Valley Township. He raised a crop of corn in the summer of 1796. He was the first Justice of~the Peace, in Valley, (then a part of Seal), Township in 1804. Jacob Groniger came in 1798. Some others who followed in the next five years were: James O. and Isaac N. Johnson, William Marsh, A. F. Millar, Mark Snyder, Henry Spangler. Some other old settlers were: Leonard Groniger, James D. Thomas, Joseph Brant, Sr., Jonh L. Jones, David Jones, Captain John Lucas, Charles T. Mastin, Reason Rouse, Benjamin Thomas, Jacob Thomas, Joseph Corns, Abraham Miller, Doctor Finley, Adron Lucas, Robert Buckles, Henry Jeffords, Dennis Hill (colored) and John Lancaster.

In the first few years after its beginning, Lucasville promised to be a large town, thence the population dwindled until it was predicted that the place would be abandoned. This was at the time when the inhabitants were disappointed and disgusted at the canal being built on the west side of the river. Lucasville is now one of the best business locations in the County. Great quantities of lumber and cross ties are shipped from it, while the excellent farming country around furnishes a good healthy trade for the merchants. Lucasville has an elevator owned by H. S. Grimes of Portsmouth, a steam flour mill and four general stores: Joseph Brant's, C. J. Moulton's, Martindale & Edmunds' and P. T. McClelland's. Mr. Brant has a stock of drugs besides his general stock and Mr. McClelland keeps the Post Office. There are two livery stables. W. J. Thomas keeps a hotel. It has two blacksmiths, and two wagon makers, and one undertaker. The physicians are J. B. and C. M. Warwick and M. J. Beard. Lucasville was platted in June, 1819, by Colonel John Lucas from whom it received its name. The plat was recorded August 7, 1819. There were several houses and some business was done here before the town was platted. Colonel John Lucas lived here until his death, of a surfeit of green corn, July 31, 1825. The original plat contained 74 lots and 32 out lots, in all 88 acres. The James D. Thomas Addition made in 1880, contains 10 lots or 2 87-100 acres. The Charles W. Thomas Addition made in 1898, contains 11 lots or 3 1-10 acres.

The first officers of Valley Township were: Treasurer, W. A. Marsh; Clerk, Leonard Groniger; Justices of the Peace, John Wallace and A. F. Millar; Trustees, Clark Galligher, Mark Snyder; Constables, A. C. Turner and John Stewart. The first Board of Education was: Leonard Groniger, A. F, Millar, Mark Snyder, and James D. Thomas. The present officers are: Treasurer, Charles Martindale; Clerk, W. J. Thomas; Justices of the Peace, Adonijah Crain and Adam Turner; Trustees, Joseph Rockwell, James Appel, J. Berntholdt; Constables, James Crain and Charles Schoonover.

The Methodist Episcopal Church of Lucasville was organized in October, 1849, by Rev. Sheldon Parker and Rev. L. A. Atkinson, and a brick church built the same year. The lot on which the church was built was the gift of Doctor D. A. Belknap. His wife started the subscription for the building and secured most of the funds. The original Trustees were: William Marsh, James O, Johnson, and William Miller. The first Sunday School was organized in

Lucasville in 1850. Mrs. Mary Moulton secured the money for the library, and was the first Sunday School Superintendent. The present trustees of the Methodist Church. are: J. C. McKinley, J. W. Rockwell, J. H. Finney, J. B. Warwick, C. J. Moulton and J. H. Brant. The membership is about 50. The pastor is Rey. John W. Morgan.

Valley Township schools are among the best in the County. It pays fair wages to its teachers and has from 8 to 10 months school. The Lucasville school is a sub-district but arrangements are made by which the principal receives better wages than the other teachers of the Township. Pupils from districts near attend the Lucasville school after finishing the shorter terms elsewhere, and the class is quite large for two or three months in the spring. in 1860, there were four organized school districts. In 1878, another was added. The schools are as follows: Sub-district No. 1, Johnson School; sub-district No. 2, Lucasville; sub-district No. 3, Cockrell School; sub-district No. 4, Marsh School; sub-district No. 5, Millar's Run School. The principal, C. D. Walden, receives $82.50 per month, the other male teachers receives $40.00 and the females $35.00 per month. The average attendance is 30 pupils for each school. The school property is worth about $4,000.

Lucasville Lodge, No. 465, F. and A. M. was organized October 16, 1872. The charter members were:Leonard Groniger, A. L. Groniger, Isaac Fullerton, W. M. Thomas, Charles EB. Wolf, J. Johnson, J. W. Wakefield, Jacob Fisher, John B. Warwick, M. J. Noel and Nathan James. The first officers were: Thomas J. Pursell, W. M.; A. L. Groniger, S. W.; J. W. Wakefield, J. W.; W. M. Thomas, Secretary and John B. Warwick, Treasurer. The first meetings of the lodge were held in a room over W. J. Thomas's store. In 1883, a two story hall was erected. The lower story is owned and used by Valley Township as a townhouse, The upper story was fitted up for a lodge room at a cost of $2,700. The membership is about 80. The officers:R. J. Smith, W. M.; Charles Wolf, S. W.; Milton Martin, J. W.; G. L. Bricker, Secretary; Joseph Rockwell, Treasurer; C. M. Warwick, S. D.; Jesse Pyles, J. D.; Tyler, L. J. Wood.

Charles F. Mastin kept a store in Lucasville in 1818. Peter Logan had a blacksmith shop in Lucasville in 1815. In 1813, Dennis Hill had a large tanyard in Lucasville. Colonel John Lucas kept tavern in Lucasville from 1819 to 1825. In 1824, Reason Rouse kept tavern and sold liquor in Lucasville. Abraham Miller & Son, in 1824, started a large general store which was for a time the best in the County. In 1825-6 Joseph Corns kept a store and sold liquor. From 1820 to 1826 Henry Jeffords conducted the stage line and kept tavern at Scioto Inn near Lucasville. In 1824, David Jones kept tavern in Lucasville. He also had a collection of fast horses, and a race track was built ° and regular races were had for several years. John Lancaster, in 1829, ran a carding machine in Lucasville.

John Dever from the west side, in 1824, rode to Lucasville and spent the day at the tavern. During the day the Scioto river rose rapidly. Members of his family went to the ford in the evening and waited for him to come. When he arrived they warned him not to venture. He said that his horse could jump Big Scioto any time, and he plunged into the water when he and_ the horse disappeared. The horse rose to the surface and swam out, when Dever's dead body was seen hanging by one foot to the stirrup of the saddle on his horse.

In 1821, a man by the name of Robert Buckles got into a dispute with Doctor Finley at Rouse's Tavern. Buckles had been drinking and Finley being quick tempered struck him with a chair and followed up the blows after he had fallen, until his head was crushed to jelly. Finley was charged with murder, arrested and bound over to appear at the next term of court to answer the charge. \J. O. Johnson and others were bondsmen for him. When released on bail he ment to Texas, leaving his bondsmen to settle the score,

In 1842, Mrs. Thomas, mother of James L., John and Jacob Thomas, was burned to death at her home below Lucasville. When the fire was discovered, all the family left the building. Mrs. Thomas, thinking of some money which was kept upstairs, returned intending to save it. The fire cut off her retreat by destroying the stairway and it was impossible to rescue her. Near ner charred remains in the wreek of the building, was found a mass of melted silver weighing 28 pounds. A monument marks the spot where she met her death. It stands near the railroad and to the right of the pike going north to Lueasville.

A few of the inscriptions taken from the gravestones are as follows: "In memory of Colonel John Lucas, who died 1825, aged 388 years."'" Was Colonel in the war of 1812. "In memory of Captain William Lucas, who departed this life, July A. D. 1814, in the 72d year of his age."' (A Revolutionary Soldier.) "Susannah Lucas, wife of William Lucas, who departed this life May A. D, L809, aged 64 years."" "Rachel Kendall, wife of General William Kendall, departed this life in 1820."

On the south bank of Millar's Run and immediately on the east side of the Norfolk & Western Railroad track, at the point where it crosses this Run, there stood at the incoming of the nineteenth century, a sycamore of probably two centuries growth. One might probably have searched in vain for another of such immense proportions east of the Sierras and the Cascades, "the land of the monster sequoia."" When first discovered by white men, this tree was in a state of decay, with an immense cavity in the trunk extending from the root up into the diverging forks. It measured at the base twentyone feet in diameter and sixty feet in circumference, and tapered abruptly upward. At a point five feet from the ground it measured forty-two feet in circumference. The opening of the cavity at the base was ten feet wide, at the height of five feet it was seven feet wide, and the top of the opening was nine and one-half feet above the ground. The fork was about eight feet from the ground. This enormous tree stood on the farm originally owned by Abraham Miller, later by Thomas Dugan, and at a point about two hundred yards above what is known as Dugan's Grove. It was a natural curiosity often visited by travellers and was the wonder and admiration of all the surrounding country. Many visitors inclined to literary diversion wrote accounts and descriptions of it for publication. One of these articles published in an old Cincinnati Almanac in 1810 tells of a party of fourteen on horseback making a visit to this prodigy of nature and testing the capacity of its cavernous trunk, by all attempting to ride within. One after another rode in until it came the turn of the last of the fourteen. It was said that he could have found room, but his horse, being a little capricious, could not be induced to enter. This took place June 5, 1808. Those who composed the company were: #. W. Hall and wife, William Trimmer and wife, William Headley, Elizabeth Miller, John Hayes and wife and Cornelius Millar. James Lane remained outside the tree with his skittish horse. The rest of the party were children who came with their parents. This tree stood until the farm fell into Thomas Dugan's hands. One of the large forks was broken off at the time of the incident related above. Dugan had it chopped down and a few years afterwards had the stump removed.