Westland Township

Westland Township

Westland township is one of Guernsey county's original townships, hence dates its precinct history from April 23, 1810; its first election for township officers took place in June of that year. It is in the southwestern part of the county, bounded on the west by Muskingum county, on the north by Adams township, on the east by Jackson and Cambridge townships and on the south by Spencer township and Muskingum county and contains twenty-five sections of land, it being five miles square. Crooked creek, the old National pike and the Baltimore & Ohio railroad pass through its northwestern corner. Like other townships in Guernsey county, this is quite rough, hilly and broken by valley and ridge. Its only platted village is Claysville, an inland platting described elsewhere with other plattings. Once this township embraced much more territory than at present, for in 1819 Knox township was formed from parts of this and Wheeling townships.

Early Settlers

To have been a pioneer in this section of Ohio meant hardship and an iron constitution. The names of some of the families who thus blazed the way to civilization and present enjoyment, and who resided in the township in 1876, being advanced to the ripe old age of seventy-six years or older, are as follows: William B. Stewart, Thomas J. Freeman. Ephraim Barnett and wife, Susan Galloway, Joseph Kelly, Elijah Wycoff, John Hammond, James Sterling, J. Amspoker, Mrs. Wilson, R. R. Moore, Thomas E. Connor, W. B. Crawford, Mr. Best, Maria White, James Lawrence and a Mrs. Sterling.

John Hartong, a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1808, married, in 1835, Ruth Terril. In 1836 they removed to Centre township, this county, and later became residents of Westland township. They reared five children who matured and helped to subdue this part of the county.

ginia, in 1807, remained in his native state almost a half century and in [859 settled in Westland township, this county, lie married and became the father of six children, well known in this county to the older residents.

Lewis Caius McDonald, one of the first children horn in Westland township, the .date being 1817, married Melissa Boyd and had five children; he was supervisor a number of terms in this township.

In 1850 came the Best family to Westland township from Pennsylvania Mr. Best died in 1880, leaving a family of grown children. The John Best farm of this township contained almost two hundred acres.

Robert R. Moore descended from William Moore, who was born in Ireland in 1791. After living twenty-four years in Pennsylvania, the grandfather removed to Wills township, this county. Me had nine children. Robert R. was born in Pennsylvania in 1810, moved to Terry county, Ohio; and in [843 on to this county, locating in Westland township.

William Bennett, born in Ireland in 1801, emigrated to Pennsylvania at the age of eighteen years. He married, spent four years in Union township. Muskingum county, Ohio, and in 1838 made a permanent settlement in Westland township, where he died in 1842. The children of this pioneer family numbered eleven, and are now heads of numerous families throughout the country.

George McCreary, Sr., was born in Ireland in 1790, emigrated to America in [812 and married, in 1823, Sarah Mills. This worthy couple located in Westland township, where they passed the remainder of their lives, the wife dying in 1847 and ne ni IS/3< leaving seven children.

Ephraim Barnett. a native of Washington county, Pennsylvania, born in 1801, married and moved to Wrestland township, this county, in the spring of 1839. He died in the autumn of 1S79. This worthy man and wife were the parents of eleven children, most, if not all, of whom are now deceased.

William Fj. Stewart, born in Ireland in 1804, landed in Baltimore in [830 and went direct to Pennsylvania, where he remained until 1832, then removed to Oxford township. Guernsey county, Ohio. From 1835 to 1872 he led a wandering life, but at the last named year settled in Westland township, just off the National road. He was thrice married and reared a large family.

Horatio Grumman was a son of Isaac Grumman, who settled in Westland township when the country was so new that each settler almost led the life of a hermit. Isaac was born in Xew Jersey in 1777. He married in [798 and six years later moved to Fort Henry (now Wheeling), and in 1800 came to Westland township, this county. He died in 1845 ani' n's wlt"L' m 1858. Thev had nine children to revere their names.

David St. Clair was born in Maryland in 1797, and during the war of 1 Si 2 with Great Britain, went to Baltimore to sell produce, and was there during the engagement with the British. He accompanied his parents to this county and settled in Spencer township, where the family entered land on warrants.

William Cosgrove, a native of Mifflin county, Pennsylvania, was born in 1812 and in 1827 came to Ohio with his parents, living near Freeport, Harrison county, three years, then went to Cambridge where he mastered the cabinetmaker's trade. In 1833 he removed to Cumberland where he engaged in chair making until 1868, when he engaged in the hotel business, being the proprietor of the old Eagle hotel. One peculiarity of this gentleman was that he never failed of taking a mid-day nap, which he argued gave great strength and long life.