Washington Township

Washington Township

The location of Washington township if* very central. It being one of the two townships In the county that do not border on the county line. It Is bounded on the north by I nlon, on the east by (Ireen. on the south by Clark and Jefferson, and on the west by Mnrlon mid Vernon townshljis. Cowan's creek and Silver creek, which, with their tributaries, drain the northern and central parts of the township, and the East fork of Todd's fork, which flows through the south part of the township, are the principal streams. The township presents a plain of gently undulating land. The capacity of the soil equals that of any part of the county in productiveness.

Karly Settlers

In its session of 1802-03. the state legislature provided for the opening of a state road lending from Cbillicothe by way of Morgantown to College township in Butler county. This highway passed through Washington township and became the route by which the early settler.-* of this township were led to their home In the forest. Isaac Wilson, who came from Virginia and settled on the survey of Colonel Carrlngton in about the year IStKJ. was ix-rhnp? the first person to settle within the present hounds of Washington township. In lNOfi came Thomas Thatcher, who located on n large tract of land in Capt. John Steele's survey No. 1458. on the banks of Silver creek. Thatcher was born In Frederick county. Virginia. In 1760. He came to this state with a four-horse team and the typical Virginia wagon, following the usual route through Pennsylvania, and encountering the delays, annoyances and vexations common to all of the early emigrants. He died in 1SM7. at the ri|K> old age ninety-eight years.

On his arrival on Silver creek. Thatcher found Joseph Roberts, John Jack, Samuel Ruble, John Wright and Edward Powers, they having arrived a short time before. Very little Is known of the«e men or where they came from. About the year ISO". Col. Samuel Martin, together with his son. emigrated to this township from western Pennsylvania and settled in survey No. &06. After some time, be found that the title to his land was worthless and he and his son resumed tbeir westward Journey. Tradition tells us that he was one of the leading figures In the "Whiskey Insurrection" that occurred in western Pennsylania during Washington's administration as President.

Peter Tomlin. another pioneer of what Is now known as Washington township, was bom In Ctilrie|ter. Virginia, In 1770. He moved to Fredericksburg. Virginia. In IW>2. and from thence. In 1Sf'S, to Clinton county, Ohio, settling on Captain Steele's survey No. 1458. where he reared a famHy of seventeen children. He was a mnn of great prominence in the affairs of the township and county and served as a captain In the War of 1*12. ne died In 1W>7. at the age of eighty-one. and waB burled In what Is known as the Lleurance cemetery, near his old home.

In 1806. Adon Clevenger came to this township and settled at Cross Roads, or what Is today known as Cuba. He was horn in Frederick county, Virginia, in 1773. from whence he emigrated In 1S04 to Waynesvllle. Warren county. Ohio. He opened and ran the first blacksmith's shop In the present town of Cuba. He plied his trade there for a couple of years, when be moved to Wilmington, and from there back to Cowan's creek, where he bought a small farm In Colonel Ridley's survey No. 2028. where be lived until his death, In 1853.

Very little is known of the early life of Peter Llearance, who came to this county in 1808 and settled on Steele's survey No. 1458. He was born In Ashe county, North Carolina. In 175&, moved froqj North Carolina, in about the year 1800, to east Tennessee, where be resided a few years, and then removed to Washington township, Clinton county, Ohio. He wiih au enthusiastic member of the Baptist church and, as there was no church In the neighborhood at thia time, meetings were held at bis house until 1819. when he donated a lot for a church and cemetery, upon which a log church was erected and the first permanent organization of Baptists in Washington township was effected. He continued on the farm which he bad cleared until about the year 1840, when, at tbe age of eighty-one, he sold this farm and removed to tbe then new prairies of Warren county, Illinois, where he lived until 1863, dying at the remarkable age of one hundred and four years. The eldest son of Peter Lfeurance was Elijah, who wus born in Asbe county. North Carolina, and removed with bis father to Ohio in 1806 He served In the War of 1812, reluming afterwards to his home and residing In the township In 1886, when he removed to Warren county. Illinois.

David Hays, who came to Washington township hi 1845, waB born near the city of Wilmington, in the state of Delaware, in the year 1706. It was during the days of his boyhood and about his home that the war for American independence was waged. In 1800 be moved to Frederick county, Virginia, where he married Mary Horsman In 1805. Iu the same year he removed to Harrison county, Ohio, where he resided until he moved to Washington township and settled in John Steele's survey No. 1458. where he resided until bis death, in 1844.

Dnvid. Asa. Elisha and James Brown were tbe names of four brother pioneers of Washington township, who were born in Massachusetts durlug the days of the Revolutionary War. at the close of which they emigrated with their father to Owen county. Kentucky, where they grew to manhood. Between the years 1S07 to 1S10, they all removed from Kentucky to within the present con flues of Washington township. They purchased land in the surveys of Steele. Carrington and Johnson.

David Clevenger was born In Frederick county. Virginia, about the year 1785. and moved to Ohio in 1808. settling In Dlx survey No. 010. Several years later he moved farther west.

John Mitchell came in 1807: William Johns. William Baker. William R. Moon. William Biggs and William Biggs, Jr.. In 18<»8; Robert Athey. about the year 1813; Martin and Jacob Roup, about the year 1815; John Matson. In 1817; Thomas Woodmansee. 1*1.1: George Bynrd. 1S16; John Grouse. 1817: Oliver Whl taker. 1806: John Buck. 1807; James Wilson, about 1810; Thomas Johns. 18(»8; Thomas Pennington. 1813; H. M. Greeen. 1836: Jacob Mann. 1S18; Joshua Lnxenby. 1817; Henry Cowgill, about 1812. Others that should be mentioned are Daniel and Jacob Ben leu, Thomas and Israel Johns. Ebenezer Christopher and John Brown. William Mabury, James Haworth. Charles MeGme. John Jack, John Dale. Samuel Ruble. Thomas Lndlngton. George Shannon, Amos nankins, Empson Wright and Waller Starkey.

Formation Of The Towrsh1P

Washington township was formed by order of the commissioners of Clinton county, at their regular session, in June, 1835, on a petition containing the following description:

"Beginning in the line of Union township, one mile west of the northwest line of Clark township: thence southward to Marion township, where tbe township line crosses the road leading from David Wright's to Rlanchester. and continuing same course one mile Into Mnrlon township: thence eastward to Intersect the line one mile south of the northeast corner of said township: thence across Clark township so as to Include Samuel Batson ; then<-e to tbe road leading from Cuba to Martinsville, eighty poles to tbe north of Robert

Green's house; (hence to where the Wilmington and Hillsboro road crosses the College township rood ; thence with the south side of said College township road to the northeast corner of Clark township ; thence westward with the Hoe of Union and Clark townships to the beginning, containing twenty-four and one-third square miles of land."

Janies Wilson built the first mill within the present hounds of Washington township on the banks of Cowan's creek. As nearly as can be ascertained, this mill was built about the year 1810. It stood a few rods above the road leading from Wilmington to Cuba. In the parlance of the times and neighborhood, it was called a "corn-cracker." A few years later a distillery was also added and the plant was operated by Mr. Wilson as both mill and distillery until about 182B or 1827. Thomas Thatcher built a saw-mill on the banks of Silver creek about the year 1818. which he operated for about twenty years, when It fell Into decay. About the time of its discontinuance, perhaps 1840. James Carman erected a saw-mill on Cowan's creek in survey No. 2020. This mill had a corn-cracker attached and was operated for many years. The mill was sold a few years later to Abel Biggs. It became so badly damaged by freshets that Mr. Biggs rebuilt it in 1853, and oi>erated it for six or seven years, when it was so completely damaged by high waters that 11 was abandoned and allowed to fall Into decay. The first steam-mill in the township was built by William B. Biggs in Cuba In about the year 1852. It also had a cornorncker attachment, and was run for several years, burning down in about 1860. In 1853 or 1854. William It. Moon and John Mann built a saw- and grist-mill about one-half mile from Cuba, on the Martinsville road, which was operated successfully for several years. It was flnnlly removed by Mr. Moon and sons to Cuba, where it became a flrstclnss mill In every respect.

The first school teachers of which we have any account were E. Hamilton. James Trimble. Benjamin Hunter. James Hamilton, Thomas Wilson, Robert Grant, John Mc- Kihben. Oeorge E. Honeycutt, Azariah Brown, Henry Lazenby and Elijah Hays. Of course the only schools these men taught were subscription schools.

The following nre the officers of Washington township In 1915: Trustees. Barney Osborn. J. W. B. Crouse and L. M. Moon; clerk, A. M. West; treasurer, D. F. Brown. Population, one thousand and four.

Cuba

Cuba was I he first town laid out In Washington township and. perhaps, the second in the county. It was first called I'aris. This village was laid out and platted by Jonas Seaman and James Archer on September 0. 1S14. It was part of the James Blaekwell survey No. 1.457. The original, as well as the present, number of lots was one hundred.

The first hotel was kept by Mr. Armstrong, who oj>ened a house of entertainment here In 1805 or INOfl. It was at that time known as the Cross Roads, being the point where the trace or trull from the south crossed the College township road. This road was located and opened a few years prior, by an net of the Legislature of 1802-3. authorizing the laying out of various state roads, among which was the College township road, leading from Chlllicothe, by way of Morgantown. to the College township line, now in Butler county. This road soon became quite a thoroughfare and the emigrant's wagon was constantly in sight: hence the necessity for houses of entertainment. Armstrong entertained the traveling public for a number of years and then retired. He was succeeded by Jonas Seaman, who remained in the hotel until the close of the War of 1S12. Seaman was succeeded by J. J. Laeey, who occupied the premises for a short time and then gave way

Since that time the innkeepers of Cuba have been numerous and varied. This was a very profitable business until the opening of the' railroad, causing the overland travel to give way to the more rapid transit by rail.

The Midland division of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad passes through this village, and It was through the united efforts of Cuba, coupled with those of Wilmington and Kahlua, that brought this road through Clinton couuty. This village donated her share for the building of this road and too much praise cannot be given her. Since the opening of this line. Cuba has taken on a new aspect and Is at present a very busy little town. The town has three general merchandise stores, owned by the following: H. D. Pennington. J. M. Ulble and D. F. Brown. W. R. Hughes & Son keep the blacksmith shop. The flour-will is owned and operated by C. W. Burton. H. R. Vance Is the agent for the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, and J. M. Uible is the postmaster. The population is approximately one hundred. The town is unincorporated and the limits are hard to define for estimating the population,

Morris Vi Lxe

Morrisville is the second town in Washington township, both as to age and sir.e. It was laid out and surveyed by Nathan Linton on June 10, 1S40, on Isaac Morris's survey No. l.Jttl". and was mimed In honor of Mr. Morris, who owned a large tract of land adjoining it. It Is situated four miles east of Cuba, in a very fine farming district and consists of but a few lots. It hns one country store, owned by Robert Green; William Hall keeps a blacksmith shop. The population at present is sixty-two.

Macedonia is the only other town in this township. It was never platted and at present Is nothing more than a crossroads, with a few bouses.

Source changes here: from History of Clinton County Ohio, by Albert J. Brown, published 1915; 2,213 words in this source stream.

Washington Township

The location of Washington township is very central, it being one of the two townships in the county that do not border on the county line. It is bounded on the north by Union, on the east by Green, on the south by Clark and Jefferson, and on the west by Marion and Vernon townships. Cowan's creek and Silver creek. which, with their tributaries. drain the northern and central parts of the townsbip, and the East fork of Todd's fork, which flows through the south part of the township. are the principal streams. The township presents a plain of gently undulating land. The capacity of the soil equals that of «any part of the county in productiveness.

Early Settlers

In its session of 1802-03, the state Legislature provided for the opening of a state road leading from Chillicothe by way of Morgantown to College township in Butler county. This highway passed through Washington township and became the route by which the early settlers of this township were led to their home in the forest. Isaac Wilson. who eame from Virginia and settled on the survey of Colonel Carrington in about the year 1803. was perhaps the first person to settle within the present bounds of Washington township. In 1805 came Thomas Thatcher, who located on a large tract of land in Capt. John Steele's survey No. 1458, or the banks of Silver creek. Thatcher was born in Frederick county. Virginia, in 1769. He came to this state with a four-horse team and the typical Virginia wagon, following the usual route through Pennsylvania, and encountering the delays, annoyances and vexations common to all of the early emigrants. He died in 1867, at the ripe old age ninety-eight years.

On his arrival on Silver creek, Thatcher found Joseph Roberts. John Jack. Samuel Ruble, John Wright and Edward Powers, they having arrived a short time before. Very little is known of these men or where they came from. About the year 1807, Col. Samuel Martin, together with his son, emigrated to this township from western Pennsylvania and settled in survey No. 996. After some time, he found that the title to his land was worthless and he and his son resumed their westward journey. Tradition tells us that he was one of the leading figures in the "Whiskey Insurrection" that occurred in western Pennsylania during Washington's administration as President.

Peter Tomlin, another pioneer of what is now known as Washington township. was born in Culpeper, Virginio, in 1776. He moved to Fredericksburg, Virginia, in 1802, and from thence, in 1808, to Clinton county, Ohio, settling on Captain Steele's survey No. 1458, where he reared a family of seventeen children. He was a man of great prominence in the affairs of the township and county and served as a captain in the War of 1812. He died in 1857, at the age of eighty-one, and was buried in what is known as the Lieurance cemetery, near his old honie.

In 1806, Adon Clevenger came to this township and settled at Cross Roads, or what is today known as Cuba. He was born in Frederick county, Virginia, in 1778. from whence he emigrated in 1804 to Waynesville, Warren county, Ohio. He opened and ran the first blacksmith's shop in the present town of Cuba. He plied his trade there for a couple of years, when he moved to Wilmington, and from there back to Cowan's creek, where he bought a small farm in Colonel Ridley's survey No. 2028, where he lived until his death, in 1853.

Very little is known of the early life of Peter Lieurance, who came to this county in 1806 and settled on Steele's survey No. 1458. He was born in Ashe county, North Carolina, in 1759, moved from North Carolina, in about the year 1800, to east Tennessee, where he resided a few years, and then removed to Washington township, Clinton county, Ohio. He was an enthusiastic member of the Baptist church and, as there was no church in the neighborhood at this time, meetings were held at his house until 1819, when he donated a lot for a church and cemetery, upon which a log church was erected and the first permanent organization of Baptists in Washington township was effected. He continued on the farm which he had cleared until about the year 1840, when, at the age of eighty-one, he sold this farm and removed to the then new prairies of Warren county, Illinois, where he lived until 1863, dying at the remarkable age of one hundred and four years. The eldest son of Peter Lieurance was Elijah, who was born in Ashe county. North Carolina, and removed with his father to Ohio in 1806 He served in the War of 1812, returning afterwards to his home and residing in the township in 1836, when he removed to Warren county, Illinois.

David Hays, who came to Washington township in 1845, was born near the city of Wilmington, in the state of Delaware, in the year 1766. It was during the days of his boyhood and about his home that the war for American independence was waged. In 1800 he moved to Frederick county, Virginia, where he married Mary Horsman in 1805. In the same year he removed to Harrison county, Ohio, where he resided until he moved to Washington township and settled in John Steele's survey No. 1458, where he resided until his death, in 1844. :

David, Asa, Elisha and James Brown were the names of four brother pioneers of Washington township, who were born in Massachusetts during the days of the Revolutionary War, at the close of which they emigrated with their father to Owen county, Kentucky, where they grew to manhood. Between the years 1807 to 1810, they all removed from Kentucky to within the present confines of Washington township. They purchased land in the surveys of Steele, Carrington and Johnson.

David Clevenger was born in Frederick county, Virginia, about the year 1785, and moved to Ohio in 1808, settling in Dix survey No. 619. Several years later he moved farther west. :

John Mitchell came in 1807; William Johns, William Baker, William R. Moon, William Biggs and William Biggs, Jr., in 1808; Robert Athey, about the year 1813; Martin and Jacob Roop, about the year 1815; John Matson, in 1817; Thomas Woodmansee, 1813; George Byard, 1816; John Crouse, 1817; Oliver Whitaker,. 1805; John Buck, 1807; James Wilson, about 1810; Thomas Johns, 1808; Thomas Pennington, 1813; H. M. Greeen, 1835; Jacob Mann. 1818; Joshua Lazenby, 1817; Henry Cowgill, about 1812. Others that should be mentioned are Daniel and Jacob Beales, Thomas and Israel Johns, Ebenezer Christopher and John Brown, William Mabury, James Haworth, Charles McGrue, John Jack, John Dale, Samuel Ruble, Thomas Ludington, George Shannon, Amos Hankins, Hmpson Wright and Walter Starkey. | FORMATION OF THE TOWNSHIP.

Washington township was formed by order of the commissioners of Clinton county, at their regular session, in June, 1835, on a petition containing the following description:

"Beginning in the line of Union township, one mile west of the northwest line of Clark township; thence southward to Marion township, where the township line crosses the road leading from David Wright's to Blanchester, and continuing same course one mile into Marion township; thence eastward to intersect the line one mile south of the northeast corner of said township; thence across Clark township so as to include Samuel Batson ; thence to the road leading from Cuba to Martinsville, eighty poles to the north of Robert

Green's house; thence to where the Wilmington and Hillsboro road crosses the College township road; thence with the south side of said College township road to the northeast corner of Clark township; thence westward with the line of Union and Clark townships to the beginning, containing twenty-four and one-third square miles of land."

James Wilson built the first mill within the present bounds of Washington township on the banks of Cowan's creek. As nearly as can 'be ascertained, this mill was built about the year 1810. It stood a few rods above the road leading from Wilmington to Cuba. In the parlance of the times and neighborhood, it was called a "corn-cracker." A few years later a distillery was also added and the plant was operated by Mr. Wilson as both mill and distillery until about 1826 or 1827. Thomas Thatcher built a saw-mill on the banks of Silver creek about the year 1818, which he operated for about twenty years, when it fell into decay. About the time of its discontinuance, perhaps 1840, James Carman erected a saw-mill on Cowan's creek in survey No. 2029. This mill had a corn-cracker attached and was operated for many years. The mill was sold a few years later to Abel Biggs. It became so badly damaged by freshets that Mr. Biggs rebuilt it in 1853, and operated it for six or seven years, when it was so completely damaged by high waters that it was abandoned and allowed to fall into decay. The first steam-mill in the township was built by William B. Biggs in Cuba in about the year 1852. It also had a corneracker attachment, and was run for several years, burning down in about 1860. In 1853 or 1854, William R. Moon and John Mann built a saw- and grist-mill about one-half mile from Cuba, on the Martinsville road, which was operated successfully for several years. It was finally removed by Mr. Moon and sons to Cuba, where it became a firstclass mill in every respect.

The first school teachers of which we have any account were E. Hamilton. James Trimble, Benjamin Hunter, James Hamilton, Thomas Wilson, Robert Grant, John Mc- Kibben, George E. Honeycutt, Azariah Brown, Henry Lazenby and Elijah Hays. Of course the only schools these men taught were subscription schools.

The following are the officers of Washington township in 1915: Trustees. Barney Osborn, J. W. B. Crouse and L. M. Moon; clerk, A. M. West; treasurer, D. F. Brown. Population, one thousand and four.

Cuba

Cuba was the first town laid out in Washington township and, perhaps, the second in the county. It was first called Paris. This village was laid out and platted by Jonas Seaman and James Archer on September 9, 1814. It was part of the James Blackwell survey No. 1,457. The original, as well as the present, number of lots was one hundred.

The first hotel was kept by Mr. Armstrong, who opened a house of entertainment here in 1805 or 1806. It was at that time known as the Cross Roads, being the point where the trace or trail from the south crossed the College township road. This road was located and opened a few years prior, by an act of the Legislature of 1802-3, authorizing the laving out of various state ronds, among which was the College township road, leading from Chillicothe, by way of Morgantown, to the College township line, now in Butler county. This road soon became quite a thoroughfare and the emigrant's wagon was constantly in sight; henee the necessity for houses of entertainment. Armstrong entertained the traveling public for a number of years and then retired. He was succeeded by Jonas Seaman, who remained in the hotel until the close of the War of 1812. Seaman was succeeded by J. J. Lacey, who occupied the premises for a short time and then gave way

Since that time the innkeepers of Cuba have been numerous and varied. This was a very profitable business until the opening of the railroad, causing the overland travel to give way to the more rapid transit by rail.

The Midland division of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad passes through this village, and it was through the united efforts of Cuba, coupled with those of Wilmington and Sabina, that brought this road through Clinton county. This village donated her share for the building of this road and too much praise cannot be given her. Since the opening of this line. Cuba has taken on a new aspect and is at present a very busy little town. The town has three general merchandise stores, owned by the following: H. D. Pennington, J. M. Uible and D. F. Brown. W. R. Hughes & Son keep the blacksmith shop. The flour-nill is owned and operated by C. W. Burton. H. R. Vance is the agent for the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, and J. M. Uible is the postmaster. The population is approximately one hundred. The town is unincorporated and the limits are hard to define for estimating the population.

Morrisville is the second town in Washington township, both as to age and size. It was laid out and surveyed by Nathan Linton on June 16, 1840, on Isaac Morris's survey No. 1,367, and. was named in honor of Mr. Morris, who owned a large tract of land adjoining it. It is situated four miles east of Cuba, in a very fine farming district and consists of but a few lots. It has one country store, owned by Robert Green; William Hall keeps a blacksmith shop. The population at present is sixty-two.

Macedonia is the only other town in this township. It was never platted and at present is nothing more than a crossroads, with a few houses.