Wayne Township (part 22 of 22)

When the Baltimore & Ohio railroad (then the Sandusky, Mansfield & Newark) was completed to Fredericktown, the village took a long step forward. It had been in existence about forty years before this important event occurred. John D. Struble built the first warehouse and began a shipping business, and for many years this was comparatively a large produce market. Struble's old warehouse is yet standing, having been purchased by the railroad company and moved to its present location; being now used as a depot and warehouse by the company.

Peter Boyce was also an early grain dealer, as were Messrs. Charles Strong & Sons. The latter took in grain at their mill, located about a mile above Fredericktown, within the present limits of Berlin township. This mill was also destroyed by fire.

Charles R. Hooker, now a resident of Mansfield, was many years a resident of this place, a large produce dealer and an influential and honored citizen.

After the war a bank was started in the town by Daniet Struble and William Merrin; other partners were connected with it in the course of time, and a large business conducted several years, but it failed through the dishonesty of Merrin, who succeeded in getting away with most of its funds. Within the year succeeding the failure, Daniel Struble and his father-in-law, N. M. Young, started a private bank, which they are yet conducting. S. S. Tuttle is also in the banking business as well as engaged in other business enterprises, including merchandising, manufacturing sash, doors, etc. He, with others, is also conducting a foundry, at which farm-bells constitute the principal article manufactured. Mr. C. Hosack, the druggist, and Mr. Cummings are also connected with this foundry business.

But three newspapers have made their appearance in town to date. The first of these was the Rainbow, a migratory journal, which opened out at Mt. Vernon, and removed to Fredericktown about 1845; removing thence in about a year to Bellville, and when last heard of was at Tiffin. It was conducted by Rev. A. Laubach. In 1871 Mr. A. M. Smith started the /ndependent, and was succeeded in 1872 by W. S. Ensign, now of the Cardington Independent. He sold out to C. W. Townsend who conducted it until April, 1875, when he failed for want of proper support, caused, probably, by the strong prohibition tendencies of his paper. M. F. Edwards purchased the press and material, and the first issue of the "vee Press made its appearance June 1, 1875. This was conducted by Mr. Edwards until October, 1880, when the present proprietor, Mr. H. P. Johnson, took charge of it. In politics it is Independent Republican; is a five-column quarto, and a live paper.

The mayors of Fredericktown have been George W. Woodcock, A. Greenlee, W. B. Cox, C. R. Hooker, Morgan LeFever, and Gideon Elliott, the present incumbent.

The following is very nearly a correct summary of the present business of the place: There are two hardware stores, kept by H. Cassell, and Hill & Haggerty; two stove and tin stores, by C. W. Lyon,

The benevolent societies consist of three churches; the Masonic Hall Lodge No. 176; the Ellicott Lodge Independent Order of Odd Fellows, No. 267; the Sons of America; Washington Camp No. 33, and Royal Arcanum.

It is believed the first school in the place was taught either by Artemas Corbin or William Y. Farquhar in the little frame building erected during the War of 1812 for a block-house. About the same time a school was opened in the cabin that stood on the Columbus road, within the pres ent limits of Morris township, on the farm of Benjamin Dowler. Alma Ashley was a teacher here, as was also Artemas Corbin and Mr. Curtis Allen; the last of whom taught four years. Asa B. Woodward and Mr. Ausburn were among the first teachers.

Mr. Philo Doolittle was one of the early, prominent, and long continued teachers in Fredericktown. He erected for himself a dwelling house with school-room attached, on the ancient earthwork near the public square, and taught a select school until he died. He taught altogether, probably, twenty-five years.

The second school-house was erected very near the old block-house, and is yet standing, being used for a cabinet shop by Mr. Sargent. It is a good sized frame building, and was used twenty years or more, or until the present brick was erected.

Asa B. Woodward was one of the teachers in the old block-house. He taught here as late as 1828, and must have been its last. teacher. This fact throws light upon the time the block-house stood, and when the second school-house was built.

The system of Union or graded schools was established in 1852. At the first meeting in the district for the election of a board of education, W. B. Cox and Philo Doolittle were elected to serve one year; Dr. L. Dwyer and Thomas A. Reed two years; and S. W. Woodruff and C. R. Hooker three years. Mr. Cox had been in the board seyeral years prior to this, and is yet a member of it. The first board under the new law organized by electing Dr. Dwyer president, Philo Doolittle secretary, S. W. Woodruff, treasurer; Rev. John M. Farris, Philo Doolittle, and Rev. H.-D. Webb, school examiners. The district deeming it necessary to furnish more extensive accommodations, directed the board to levy a tax, purchase and erect a new building. After much deliberation the present site was selected, containing about two and a half acres in the west part of town, in Woodruff's addition, and the present substantial and beautiful edifice erected. It is thirty-eight by fifty-eight feet on the ground, two lofty stories in height, and divided into four spacious rooms, two recitation rooms, and a hall, furnished in modern style. The building 'is surmounted by a cupola. Before deciding upon the particular arrangement of the house, the board consulted a number of experienced teachers, and spared no pains, compatible with the means placed at their disposal, in securing the best possible adaptation to the wants and conveniences of the schools. In the early part of September, 1853, the schools were formally opened with the following instructors: William Mitchell, of Columbus, Ohio, superintendent and teacher in the high school; Miss Mary S. Rogers, teacher in the grammar school; Miss C. E. Gates, secondary department; Miss Olive E. Weatherby, primary department. This school has been in successful operation since, and yearly turns out into the world of strife its proportion of educated young people.

The Presbyterian church was the first organized in Fredericktown; this being accomplished as early as 1808, by Rev. Mr. Wright. The members of this organization were Jacob Cook, Matthew Merritt, Jeduthan Dodd, Abner Brown, and Ziba Leonard. Their meetings were held in the old blockhouse after its erection, and prior to this, in the cabins of its members. As before mentioned they attempted to build a church about 1820, but failing to pay for the same, it passed into other hands. The building is now used as a livery stable. This congregation was associated with the Mt. Vernon and Martinsburgh churches until September, 1827, under charge of Rev. James Scott. Rev. John Mc- Kinney, of Washington county, Pennsylvania, was probably the first pastor regularly installed in this church. The present building, which is on Main street, near the site of the old block-house, was erected about 1840. It is frame, about thirty by fifty feet, with columns in front, cupola and bell.

In 1836 Rev. Simeon Brown was called by the Fredericktown church. While he was perhaps the most inferior looking minister the church ever had, yet much the most interesting in the pulpit. He had a low retreating forehead, one leg shorter than the other, so that his carriage was not very graceful, and one of his flock who got offended at him gave him the name of 'Old Limpy." During his administration the church prospered, and the present house was built, finished and paid for.

Mr. M. Ferguson is pastor of the church at this time. He came here from Columbus, Ohio, where he served as chaplin of the Ohio penitentiary during Governor Bishop's administration.

The Methodist Episcopal church is located on Sandusky street, near the public square. It was organized about 1818, the first subscribers being Catharine Haldeman, Mr. and Mrs. Aker, Mr. Fidler and wife, Hannah Benedict, S. Doty, and probably some others. Its first meetings were held in the old block-house, and afterward in Mr. Haldeman's shop, until the erection of the first church about 1840.

Christian Haldeman was not a member of any church at that time, but a clever old Pennsylvanian, who swept out his shop on Saturday evening and placed temporary seats for the accommodation of the audience. His shop and dwelling stood near the place on which Dr. Hosack's dwelling now stands.

The new church was a frame and stood on Sandusky street. It is still standing on the same street west of the square, being used as a dwelling by David Condon. The present beautiful brick structure was erected in 1856. It is an honor and ornament to the place. <A few of the early ministers were Revs. Havens, Crawford, Camp, Oldfield, and others. The present minister is Rev. E. O. McIntyre, and the present membership about two hundred.

The Sunday-school connected with this church - was organized in Mr. Haldeman's shop about 1828, and has been in successful operation ever since. Its present membership is about one hundred. A Protestant Methodist church was organized here about 1830, and continued several years, but went down, the members generally joining other churches.

The Fredericktown Regular Ba:tist church was organized by Rev. John Thomas, sr., Saturday, March 17, 1838. The members constituting this first organization were five in number, viz: Mrs. Mary Struble, now the widow of the late John D. Struble; Mary Wright, wife of Dr. Lyman Wright; Miriam Corbin, Jacob Mitchel, and John Colgrove, all of whom are now dead except the first named, who is yet active and influential in the church.

ful in his labors. During the single year of his pastorate about forty members were added to the church. He was succeeded, for a few months only, by Rev. Stovers as supply.

In 1843 Rev. H. B. Fuller entered upon a five years' pastorate. He was an excellent pulpit orator and a man of a good deal of business ability. It was during his pastorate that the present house of worship was erected and paid for, he having the hearty cooperation of a united and active congregation. The lot upon which the building stands was donated by the wife of Judge Ayres, and the stone for the foundation of the church by Absalom Thrift. H. H. Struble gave one hundred dollars towards securing the bell and placing it in the tower, which was accomplished in 1856.

Rey. A. P. Mather supplied the pulpit from 1848 to 1851; Rev. J. C. Miller, a short time in 1852; Rev. E. D. Thomas was recalled, and served from 1852 to 1855. <A great revival resulted from his labors, as many as twenty-five persons being baptized in a single day.

ot the latter year. Rev. J. B. Pratt served the church during the stirring times incident to the breaking out of the war, from 1859 to 1862. He was a man unusually devoted to his duties, both to the church and country and as a citizen, and, withal, an excellent preacher.

Rev. J. Hall, D. D., president of Denison university, at Granville, Licking county, Ohio, was pastor from 1863 to 1865; Rev. G. W. Miller served the church during the year 1866, and was succeeded by the Rev. William B. Watson, who was ordained in 1866, and continued to labor with much success for five years. He was very popular and efficient, many members being added to the church during his pastorate.

Rey. D. B. Simms became pastor in 1871, and was followed in 1872 by Rev. B. F. Siegfreid, who in turn was succeeded by Rev. B. F. Tulloss in 1875. Rev. J. B. Tuttle was the next pastor, and closed his labors of sixteen months in 1879.

The church during all its history has been singularly fortunate in the high moral and intellectual standing of its ministers. It has included in its membership during its career many wealthy and prominent families. The membership is now a large and active one, numbering at present about one hundred and sixty, though this is less than it has been heretofore

The following have been the deacons of this church: James Mitchel, David Brown, James Jackson, Usual Ball, David Cosner, S. Wright, John Cosner, Daniel P. Kenyon, William J. Struble, William McClure, James F. Ghrist, and H. C. Simons. All these were good and true men, and some of them have passed to the "shadow land."

The present pastor, Rev. J. A. Kirkpatrick, M. D., began his labors in 1879, but did not enter fully upon his work until January 18, 1880, when he brought his family and settled in town. A revival in 1880 resulted in twenty-two additions to the church.

The church has for many years maintained an interesting and prosperous Sunday-school under the leadership of James F. Ghrist as superintendent. It promises grand results for the future. The church and school are in the habit of contributing liberally to every benevolent work.

A Universalist church was organized in Fredericktown about 1831. It was quite weak at first and grew very slowly for several years. After building a good house of worship and securing a minister that attracted attention, the increase in members was more rapid, and for a few years the society was in a flourishing condition. The members of the first organization were principally eastern people; among them the Strongs, Corbins,

'Clarks, Doolittles, Benedicts, Wadsworths, Johnsons, Ponds, Gillits, and others. Truman Strong was their preacher many years, and was a very exemplary man. The organization went out of existence many years ago. For many years their church edifice was used as a masonic hall.

A Congregational church was organized in Fredericktown about 1841, by a Mr. Mead, who was at that time preaching to a church in Mt. Ver- The prime movers in the organization were Joseph Hitchcock, and Pascal Dunklee, both men of means and liberality. Among the early members of the society were Messrs. Dunklee, Hitchcock, Dr. Allen, J. M. Allen, James Richards, Daniel Richards, Gavin Blair, S. H. Sherwood, L: W. Foot, Mrs. Cone, Mrs. Hitchcock, Miss Wright,

Mrs. Dunklee, Mrs. Sherwood, and others. The society built a very good church edifice on East Sandusky street, and for some time their meetings were well attended, but it began to decline, and in the course of fifteen years was extinct. The lot and building were purchased by D. C. Lewis, and the timber and lumber now forms a part of his dwelling house.

The Protestants and Methodists some forty years ago had a flourishing society and a comfortable house of worship, but they, too, have long since disappeared.

The Iredericktown lyceum was organized October 12, 1832, by electing James Rigby president, William Byers, secretary, and Philo Doolittle, treasurer.

Among its first members may be found the names of James Rigby, William Allen, Philo Doolittle, James Shaw, Asa Gregg, G. W. Woodcock, Eli Smedley, James Reed, Rev. John McKinney, Dr. John Byers, Eli Gregg, and others.

The society had a continued existence from 1832 to 1856. The records show that during that time it had a membership of over two hundred. Its last recorded meeting was held at the schoolhouse in the fall of 1856.

The village at an early day had a public library comprising about a hundred and fifty volumes. James Rigby was president, and George H. Bull was librarian many years, but no record of it appears anywhere to-day.

The charter members were Benjamin J. Lewis, Israel Underwood, William Mck. Amadon, Delano Dexter, John Garrison,,Thomas Trahern, H. M. Shafer, Jesse L. Holley, Truman Strong, Abner Ayres, B. H. Taylor, and Benjamin F. Smith.

Mr. Israel Underwood, formerly sheriff of Knox county, now a citizen of Mt. Vernon, and Benjamin F. Smith, now a citizen of Minnesota, are the only charter members now living. Mr. Underwood still retains his membership in Thrall lodge.

Ellicott Lodge, No. 257, I. O. O. F., Fredericktown, was instituted April 11, 1855, by M. W. Grand Master T. J. McLain, assisted by Past Grands William M. Bunn, John W. White, J. Frank Andrews, R. C. Kirk, J. W. Lybrand, A. C. Elliott, of Mt. Vernon Lodge, No. 20, and George W. Shurr, of Chester Lodge, No. 204, of Chesterville, Morrow county.

The officers, July 1, 1880, were: L. H. Lewis, N. G.; M. Hagerity, V. G.; John Davis, secretary; A. Stephens, permanent secretary; G. W. Glosser, treasurer; J. C. Merrin, sitting past grand.

Number of deaths since organization, four. Present number of members, one hundred and ten. Representatives to Grand lodge, J. Z. Griffith, and Issacher Rowley.

In 1872 the lodge dedicated their new hall, situated on Main street, with appropriate ceremonies. The building is a frame one, sixty-five by sixty feet, and three stories high. The first story is intended for commercial purposes; the second is used as a public hall, and on the third floor is the lodge. The building and finishing of the whole, cost the lodge six thousand dollars, and is considered one of the neatest halls devoted to Odd Fellowship in central Ohio, outside of the cities.

The following persons were initiated at the first meeting: H. C. Simons, E. S. Winterbotham, Harrison Rowley, Alex. Trahern, S. R. Glosser, Robert Darling, and George W. Ditwiler.

Chapter Lxvii Madison, Greene, Chester, Bloomfield, And Franklin

HE act establishing the county of Knox was passed January 30, 1808, and was to go into effect March 1, 1808. An act establishing Richland county was also passed January 30, 1808, which contained a provision placing it under the jurisdiction of the county of Knox until the legislature may think proper to organize it. In pursuance of said provision, the commissioners of Knox county, on the eighth of June, 1809, declared the entire county of Richland a separate township, named Madison, which at the annual election of said year cast seventeen votes, and only nineteen votes at the annual election in the year 1811. The first judges of election were Melzar Tanneyhill, Isaac Pierce, and Samuel Lewis. Peter. Kinney and Thomas Coulter were the clerks.

The election judges in 1810 were James Copus, William Gardner, and John Foglesong; and John C. Gilkison and James Cunningham were the clerks. At one of the early elections Madison township cast fourteen votes for Jeremiah R. Munson for the legislature, and three votes for William Gass. In 1811 Winn Winship and John C. Gilkison were the election clerks. Archibald Gardner was elected justice of the peace in May, 1809; Henry McCart, in 1810; George Coffinberry and Peter Kinney, in 1812; and James McClure and Andrew Coffinberry, in 1814.

On the seventh of January, 1812, the county commissioners divided Madison township, and established Greene township, which at the annual The common pleas court of Knox county on the fourteenth of March, 1812, ordered that three justices of the peace be elected in Greene township.

By act of the legislature passed January 7, 1813, which. took effect on the first Monday in March of said year, Richland county was oyganized. On the second of April, 1809, John Heckewelder, John M. Connell, and Moses Ross, as commissioners, established Mansfield as the county seat. In February, 1813, Thomas Coulter, William Gass, and Peter Kinney, were elected associate judges of the Richland common pleas court, who subsequently elected Winn Winship clerk of said court. He was also the first postmaster of Mansfield.

Knox county in 1848 contributed the three townships of Chester, Bloomfield, and Franklin, toward the creation of the county of Morrow. Chester was organized April 10, 1812; Bloomfield township June 23, 1817, and Franklin was erected December 23, 1823. They were three important townships of the county, diminishing its population nearly four thousand, and their detachment from Knox county destroyed s symmetry and marred its form and proportions. -

The first election in Chester township was held April 25, 1812, the judges being Joseph Duncan, Henry George, and Evan Holt. William and Samuel Johnson were the clerks.

A branch of Owl creek passes through this township, and Chesterville is its chief town or village. The population of the township in 1830 was seven hundred and seventy-eight; in 1840 it

Enos Miles was the proprietor of Chesterville, which was situated on the road from Mt. Vernon to Mt. Gilead, distant from the former fourteen miles, and from the latter ten miles. As early as 1830 its population was two hundred and fifty.

Evan Holt, who served six years in the Revolutionary war, and who settled in this section of Knox county in 1808, was one of the most noted men hereabouts. He lived here nearly forty years, and died at the age of more than eighty-three years.

The following is a list of the justices of the peace of Chester township from its organization until it became a part of Morrow county, together with the time of service of each:

This was another of the western townships of Knox county that was attached to Morrow county in 1848. In 1840 the inhabitants of Bloomfield township numbered one thousand two hundred and fifty-two; in 1850 they had increased to one thousand three hundred and ninety-five. In 1818, the year after Bloomfield was organized, Benjamin H. Taylor served in the office of assessor of taxable property. There were but sixteen voters in the township. The first post office established in Bloomfield was Clark's » Roads, and was located at the intersection of the road leading from Johnstown to New Haven, with the road leading from Mt. Vernon to Delaware - a central point - being thirteen miles from Berkshire, Mt. Vernon, Chestervilleand Johnstown. It was subsequently called Bloomfield. The second post office was established at Sparta, a small village situated on the old State road leading from Mansfield to Columbus; Sunbury and Fredericktown being intermediate towns.

The first brick house built in Bloomfield township was erected in 1825, by Roswell Clark: and the first two-story frame building was built in 1828, being the one long occupied by Sheldon Clark. The first church erected in Bloomfield township was by the Methodist Episcopal church in 1839. The same denomination built the second church in Sparta in 1846; and in the same year the Christian church erected a church edifice in Sparta. Revs. Thomas Kerr and Mr. Cooper, of the Methodist church, and Rev. James Smith and a Mr. Britton were Christian or New Light pioneer preachers. In 1850 the Wesleyan Methodists built a small church near Sparta, in which the distinguished abolitionist, Rev. Edward Smith, officiated, and near which he was buried in 1859.

Marshall Clark died in 1818, and was the first death in the territory that soon after became Bloomfield township. The family of Artemas Swetland settled. in this section of the county in 1812, and are generally regarded as the first settlers. Those that succeeded them not long after were the Clarks, Walker Lyon, Preston Hubbell, Seth Nash, John Helt, William Ayres, John Blinn, Dr. Bliss, Samuel Whitney, Lucius French, Stephen Marvin, Samuel Mead, Lemuel Potter, and others. The Clarks were from New Haven county, Connecticut; as were also Lyon, Hubbell, Nash, Whitney, French, Marvin, and Mead. Helt and Ayres were from Washington county, Pennsylvania.

In Norton's History of Knox County it is stated that Bloomfield township received its name in this wise: Several of the settlers were at the house of Sheldon Clark early in the spring of 1817, talking about the prospective township, when John Blinn called attention to the flowers in the field in which they were, and suggested that as the field was in bloom the new township should be called Bloomfield, and it was so called.

An aeronaut by the name of F. H. Westbrook met with a terrible end on the Fourth of July, 1862. There was a large concourse of people at Sparta, commemorating our nationa) anniversary, who were addressed by Rev. Mills Harrod, W. L. Bane, esq., and Hon. A. Banning Norton, and at 5 o'clock P. M., aS previously announced, a balloon went up with Westbrook in it, to the height of perhaps five hundred feet, when it burst in pieces and fell to the -earth, killing him instantly. About

Franklin is the third and last of the western townships of Knox county that were annexed to the county of Morrow in 1848. It was authorized December 3, 1832, named in honor of Benjamin and the first election for township officers was held on the first Monday of April, 1824. The population of Franklin township in 1830 was eight hundred; in 1840 it was one thousand three hundred and forty-three; and in 1850 it was one thousand four hundred and fifty-six. Pulaskiville is the principal business place of the township. Allen Kelly, an emigrant from Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, was one of the earliest settlers here. David Peoples, David Shaw, William T. Campbell, Washington Strong, .the Petersons; Hickmans, Blairs, and Van Buskirk's were also pioneer settlers.

Abraham Blair, of Perth Amboy, New Jersey, settled upon the farm in 1811, on which he died in his ninetieth year, on the second of October, 1846. He served as a minute-man during the Revolutionary war, and participated in the battles of Trenton and Monmouth. |

_ Colonel Strong was one of the noted military men and politicians of Franklin township. So also was Lieutenant Bernard Fields) Among office holders or prominent men of Franklin township may be named the Swingleys (emigrants from Hagerstown, Maryland), Samuel Livingston, Henry Weatherby, Anson Prouty, William Faris, William Gordon, Benjamin Corwin, Alexander Wilson, Jonathan Olin, William Lavering, Caleb Barton, H. P. Eldridge, C. Sapp, William Linn, B. O. Pitman. David Ewers, Ebenezer Hartwell, B. and E. Lyon, Benjamin Hathaway, and Thomas Morrison.

Upon the organization of this township William Van Buskirk, a justice of the peace within the territory, who had been reelected in 1822, continued to act until again elected in 1824. In 1824 John Truas was also elected, and in 1827 David Shaw was again elected, and reelected until 1848, when the township was carried over into Morrow county. H. W. Strong was elected in 1834, and reelected in 1837. Williany Van Buskirk was elected in 1840, reelected in 1843, and'in 1846, and during his term of service the connection with Knox county was severed.