Wilson Township

Wilson Township

The first person to settle within the bounds of what Is nt present known us Wilson to\vnsht|> was Amos Wilson. In honor of whom the township was named. Wilson was born In New Jersey, April 7. 1770. and moved with his parents to Kentucky In 17M. where he lived for seven yen r*. He married Ann Mills on June 22. 17f>l. In 17il"> he moved to Ohio, settling in Warren county near Wnynesville. where he lived for over a year. In 1790 or 17i»7 he purchased two hundred acres of laud from Joshua Carmen, located in Taylor's survey No. 736. Tracing his way with a pocket compass, he settled by mistake on It. Egglcston's survey No. ssw. He spent almost a year improving this location, before ho discovered his mistake and again made a mistake, moving onto what proved later to be I.indseys survey No. 732. He first arrived in the township in 17!»it. He remained at the last-mentioned place until 1H>2 before finding out that he was again Improving another's pro|*?rty. und not his own. In that year. Joshua Carmen enme from Kentucky to look after the survey of land that he owned, bringing with him Mr. Wilson's brother-in-law, James Mills. On being told that he was not on bis own land, he became so discouraged at the pros|>ect of receiving no benefit from his years of labor that he made known his intention to return to the older settlements. Mr. Carmen persuaded him to give up this Idea, and, as a part com|>ens»tion for his repeated failures, made him a present of fifty acres adjoining his original pun-base on the west. In the year js»>7 his wife died: he was married during the same year to his second wife. Itachael James, with whom he lived until her death. In IMS. Ills third wife was Mary Coulter, widow of William Coulter. In 1*27 he built the first brick house in this part of the country. In 1*30 he became dissatisfied with his surroundings, sold his farm and moved to Delaware county, Indiana. In I he same year his third wife died. In 1S43 he married Kllsw Dowden. Again becoming dissatisfied with his surroundings, he returned to Ohio in 1S43 and bought his old home, where he remained until IS.V1, when he again removed to Delaware county. Indiana, where he died on October 27 of that year. In his eighty-fourth year.

In isttc, John Coulter bought land of Jacob Piatt, who owned Walker's survey No. 743, and began its improvement. Coulter was born in the county of Antrim. Ireland. July IS. 1777. He emigrated to America, landing in New York, where he remained for a short time, coining from thence to Cincinnati. Ohio. He leased a part of bis purchase in what was later Wilson township, to Oliver Simpson for a term of three years, and came out Immediately and began Improvements noftr the place of the present family residence Mr. Coulter, on June 11. 1W7. married Margaret dbson. a native of the county of Fermanagh, Ireland. In December. 1>*>9. they moved to their new home, where they passed the remninder of their long, active and useful lives. They brought up n family of twelve children. Mr. Coulter died In 1ST.7. aged nearly eighty years.

Another pioneer of this township was ](:imotli Hanklus. who came from Pennsylvania In ISOfl. on a proxjiecting tour and liked the appearance of the country so well thnt he bought one hundred acres of land In Walker's survey No. 743. and built a cabin on It In the same yenr. He returned to Pennsylvania, spent the following winter, and In the

Absalom and Cyrus Keed, brothers, came from Kentucky In 1810 and settled on Lindsay's survey No. 732. Tbey were extensively engaged In stock-raising, being among the tirst to introduce improved breeds of cattle. John Watson, a native of Ireland, moved to this township in 1800. In 1810, William Fauuon moved to the neighborhood and bought two hundred acres of land in Taylor's survey No. 736.

John revile, eon of Reuben and tthoda Peelle. was born In Wayne county, North Carolina, June 2. 1781. He remained with his parents until his twenty-fourth year, when he moved to Grayson county, Virginia, where he remained for one year. He then took a long trip through the then unknown "far West," traveling through Ohio and into the territory of Indiana as far as the site of the present city of Richmond. He returned to his parental home in North Carolina, but, becoming dissatisfied, again turned his face toward the west. Pausing on his way in Belmont comity. Ohio, he fell victim to the wiles of the little god of love and married Lydla Bundy. according to the ceremony of the Society of Friends, of which they were both members. Soon after their marriage Ihey moved to Fall Creek, where they lived until 1811, In which year they moved and willed near the place at present occupied by the village of Bowervllle, (ireene county. They remained at this place two years, moving, on March 1. 1S13. to the northwest side of Call's survey No. **7. building a cabin and making other improvements. While living on Call's survey, he made his first purchase of land In Ohio, buying fifty acres in Drama's survey No. K30. At first he had no intention of making his home on that survey, but secured the land for the purpose of making sugar from the fine grove of maples growing there. Having bought more land Joining his "sugar orchard," he concluded to make that his borne, which he did in 1K20.

William Gallemore was born on November ,r>, 1770, in Oullford county. North Carolina, where he remained until his marriage, in 1S01. to Mary* Stanley. The young couple left North Carolina and went to Grayson county. Virginia, where they resided for about nine years. They then emigrated westward, making their home in Highland county, Ohio, for three years. Leaving Highland county, tbey went to Greene county, from which they moved, in 1*13. to Clinton county, settling on Gniffin's survey No. 830. where they IMissed the remainder of their lives, bringing up a family of ten children, five boys and five girls, all of whom reached maturity and married.

The other pioneers of the township, with the dates of their settlement, are: Col. Thomas llinkson. 1»»7: Benjamin Renlley, about 1S12: Mark and Isaac Pearson. 1*15; Thomas Greer. Peter Jasper and Thomas Rabh.

"Special session. August 20. 1*50. This day the commissioners met pursuant to adjournment, present: Joseph IToskins. Assel Walker and Enos L T<ncy.

"This day a petition was presented to the commissioners of the county, praying for a new township, to be taken from the townships of Richmond. Fnlon and Liberty, as set forth In a petition signed by a majority of the householders residing within the boundaries of the proj»osed new township, of which the following Is a copy, to wit:

"*To the Commissioners of Clinton County: Your petitioners, citizens of Clinton county, Ohio, respectfully present that we labor under great Inconvenience on account of our very remote situation from the place of holding elections, and from the place where the other township business Is transacted. In consequence of which we respectfully but most earnestly ask you to establish a township to be taken out of Fnlon, Richland and Liberty townships, to be bounded as follows, to wit: southeast line of A. Benjamlu's survey No. 027, thence southwesterly with the line of said survey to the enBt corner of Thomas Shaw's survey No. 844; thence with the southeasterly Hue of said line of said survey to the east corner of William Taylor's survey No. 720; thence with the southeast line of said survey to its south and east corner of William Llndsey's survey No. 732; thence westwardly across said survey to Its west corner, and east comer of Tuoinns Bland's survey No. 8%; thence northwardly with the northeasterly line of said Bland's survey to its north corner, and the east corner of William White's survey No. 2,714, in Union township; thence northwardly and with the northeast line of said survey No. 2.714 to the west corner of Richard Call's survey No. 887, and at or near the line of Union and Liberty townships; thence in a northeasterly direction to the northeast corner of Liberty and uortbwest comer of Richland townships, in the Greene county line; thence eastwnrdly with the north line of Clinton county to the pi nee of beginning, which limits as here prescribed contain the amount of territory required by law to constitute a township.

"We. your petitioners, now claim it as an act of Justice, Inasmuch as there is left in each of the townships from which the pro|>osed new township is to be taken ample amount of territory still to constitute a constitutional township; that our petition be granted as now asked for. and which is signed by citizens and voters in the district included in the limits of the new township. July 13, I860'

"And being satisfied that thirty days' previous notice of such intended application had first been given by advertising in' three public places within the boundaries of said proposed new township, the commissioners being also satisfied that It Is necessary to erect a new township as prayed for by said i>etltloners. nnd ns fully set forth by a plot and survey, made by Hiram Madden, surveyor, and this day presented by said petitioners to the county commissioners, by which they are satisfied that the said proposed new township embraces n territory of more than twenty-two square miles. Thereupon, the commissioners granted the prayer of said petitioners, and direct that a township shall be laid off and established according to the boundaries described in said petition, plat and survey, by the name of Wilson township; and direct that the boundaries as set forth In such plat and survey be recorded as required by law, together with the proceedings had by the board In relation thereto."

At the same meeting the commissioners, made the following allowances for platting and surveying the township: To Hiram Madden, surveyor, 0 days, at $1.60. $13.50; to Edwin Raleigh, chain-carrier. 6 days, at 75 cents, $4.50; to James Glover, chain-carrier, 6 days, at 75 cents, $4.50; to Edmund Tborp, marker, 6 days, at 75 cents. $4.50.

As a final act In the creation of the new township, an election was ordered to be held on Saturday. September 7. 1V>0, at the tavern of II. H. Bruce, In the towu of Lewlsvllle, for officers, three trustees, one clerk, one treasurer, one assessor and one constable. From the township records the following Is taken :

"Between the hours of eight nnd ten o'clock A. M., a lawful number of the voters of Wilson township being present In the town of Bloomington, proceeeded to nominate Edmund Thorp. Samuel Furnace and Ellsha Gallemore, Judges of election, and Jesse Everest and II. T. Moorman, clerks. Proceeded to the election of three trustees, one clerk, one treasurer, one assessor and one constable for Wilson township. On examining the votes given the following persons were declared duly elected: Trustees, Anderson Homey. H. H. Hankins. John (i. Coulter: clerk. Absalom Douglass; treasurer, William Peelle: constable. Isaac Turner: assessor, Isaac Turner."

No chnnnes were made in the roll of officers at flic second election, held April 7, 1851. except in trustees. William Reed was chosen In the place of II. II. Hankins. Rnad supervisors were also chosen at this election, as follow: District No. 1, Adam Long: district No. 2. James Ritchie: district No. .'I. Reuben Peelle: district No. 4. Erl Lamb: district No. 5. John IX Hoi son : district No. (!. Benjamin Barnes. A school tax of two mills to the dollar was voted on. on the enmd levy, nnd resulted in ninety-three votes being cast for the school tax and forty-six votes against It.

At the same election the question of Clinton county subscribing two hundred thousand dollars toward the constrtictinn of the Cincinnati. Wilmington & Zanesvllle railroad was suhmitted to the voters and was accepted by the vote of one hundred and forty-one In favor of the subscription nnd only twelve votes against.

The following are the officers of Wilson township In 1015: Trustees. C. E. Peelle. Bert Bums and J. F. Reardon; clerk. IT. II. Creeden: treasurer, C. T. Telfair. Population, eight hundred thirty-two.

Wilson township is located In the northeastern portion of the county, and is bounded on the north by Fayette county, on the east by Richland township, on the south by Richland and T'nlon townships and on the west by T'nlon and Liberty townships. The surface of the township is either level or gently undulating. It is divided Into two nearly equal portions by the watershed between the Scioto and Little Mlnml rivers. On the western side the descent Is rather abrupt to Anderson's prairie, which fills the greater portion of that side and Is drained by n creek of the same name. The land on the eastern side slopes off much more gradually to the beds of Wilson's creek and the Little Rattlesnake. These three streams form the natural drainnge of the township. The soli Is a rich black loam of an excellent quality of yellow clay, easily tilled.

Bloomington is the only village In Wilson township. It wn» laid out In 1H42 by the county surveyor, Peyton West, for Jnnies J>egroot, the proprietor. This little hamlet first bore the mime of Lewisville. but when the iKistoffice was established it was given the name which it now bears. Lewisville began small and has bravely held its "8niallness." By the census of 1880. It contained a imputation of oue hundred sixty-nine; at present the imputation Is much less. The citizens of this little wayside village are served with two general stores. H. H. Creedou and S. M. Kelllson; R. T. Briggs is the village blacksmith.

Source changes here: from History of Clinton County Ohio, by Albert J. Brown, published 1915; 2,315 words in this source stream.

Wilson Township

The first person to settle within the bounds of what is at present known as Wilson township was Amos Wilson, in honor of whom the township was named. Wilson was born in New Jersey, April 7, 1770, and moved with his parents to Kentucky in 1784, where he lived for seven years. He married Ann Mills on June 22, 1791. In 1795 he moved to Ohio, settling in Warren county near Waynesville, where he lived for over a year. In 1796 or 1797 he purchased two hundred acres of land from Joshua Carmen, located in Taylor's survey No. 736. Tracing his way with a pocket compass, he settled by mistake on R. Eggleston's survey No. 886. He spent almost a year improving this location, before he discovered his mistake and again made a mistake, moving onto what proved later to be Lindsey's survey No. 7382. He first arrived in the township in 1799. He remained at the last-mentioned place until 1802 before finding out that he was again improving another's property, and not his own. In that year, Joshua Carmen came from Kentucky to look after the survey of land that he owned, bringing with him Mr. Wilson's brother-in-law, James Mills. On being told that he was not on his own land, he became so discouraged at the prospect of receiving no benefit from his years of labor that he made known his intention to return to the older settlements. Mr. Carmen persuaded him to give up this idea, and, as a part compensation for his repeated failures, made him a present of fifty acres adjoining his original purchase-on the west. In the year 1807 his wife died; he was married during the same year to his second wife, Rachael James, with whom he lived until her death, in 1818. His third wife was Mary Coulter, widow of William Coulter. In 1827 he built the first brick house in this part of the country. In 1889 he became dissatisfied with his surroundings, sold his farm and moved to Delaware county, Indiana. In the same year his third wife died. In 1843 he married Eliza Dowden. Again becoming dissatisfied with his surroundings, he returned to Ohio in 1843 and bought his old home, where he remained until 1854, when he again removed to Delaware county, Indiana, where he died on October 27 of that year, in his eighty-fourth year.

In 1806 John Coulter bought land of Jacob Piatt, who owned Walker's survey No. 743, and began its improvement. Coulter was born in the county of Antrim, Ireland, July 18, 1777. He emigrated to America, landing in New York, where he remained for a short time, coming from thence to Cincinnati, Ohio. He leased a part of his purchase in what was later Wilson township, to Oliver Simpson for a term of three years, and came out immediately and began improvements near the place of the present family residence. Mr. Coulter, on June 11, 1807, married Margaret Gibson, a native of the county of Fermanagh, Ireland. In December, 1809, they moved to their new home, where they passed the remainder of their long, active and useful lives. They brought up a family of twelve children. Mr. Coulter died in 1857, aged nearly eighty -vears.

Another pioneer of this township was Ramoth Hankins, who came from Pennsylvania in 1809, on a prospecting tour and liked the appearance of the country so well that he bought one hundred acres of land in Walker's survey No. 743, and built a cabin on it in the same year. He returned to Pennsylvania, spent the following winter, and in the

Absalom and Cyrus Reed, brothers, came from Kentucky in 1810 and settled on Lindsay's survey No. 732. They were extensively engaged in stock-raising, being among the first to introduce improved breeds of cattle. John Watson, a native of Ireland, moved to this township in 1809. In 1810, William Fannon moved to the neighborhood and bought two hundred acres of land in Taylor's survey No. 736. .

John Peelle, son of Reuben and Rhoda Peelle, was born in Wayne county, North Carolina, June 2, 1781. He remained with his parents until his twenty-fourth year, when he moved to Grayson county, Virginia, where he remained for one year. He then took a long trip through the then unknown "far West, " traveling through Ohio and into the territory of Indiana as far as the site of the present city of Richmond. He returned to his parental home in North Carolina, but, becoming dissatisfied, again turned his face toward the west. Pausing on his way in Belmont county, Ohio, he fell victim to the wiles of the little god of love and married Lydia Bundy, according to the ceremony of the Society of Friends, of which they were both members. Soon after their marriage they moved to Fall Creek, where they lived until 1811, in which year they moved and settled near the plaee at present occupied by the village of Bowerville, Greene county. They remained at this place two years, moving, cn March 1, 1813, to the northwest side of Call's survey No. 887, building a cabin and making other improvements. While living on Call's survey, he made his first purchase of land in Ohio, buying fifty acres in Draffin's survey No. 880. At first he had no intention of making his home on that survey, but secured the land for the purpose of making sugar from the fine grove of maples growing there. Having bought more land joining his "sugar orchard," he concluded to make that his home, which he did in 1820.

William Gallemore was born on November 5, 1776, in Guilford county, North Carolina, where he remained until his marriage, in 1801, to Mary Stanley. The young couple left North Carolina and went to Grayson county, Virginia, where they resided for about nine years. They then emigrated westward, making their home in Highland county, Ohio, for three years. Leaving Highland county, they went to Greene county, from which they moved, in 1815, to Clinton county, settling on Graffin's survey No. 830, where they passed the remainder of their lives, bringing up a family of ten children, five boys and five girls, all of whom reached maturity and married.

The other pioneers of the township, with the dates of their settlement, are: Col. Thomas Hinkson, 1807; Benjamin Bentley, about 1812; Mark and Isaae Pearson, 1815; Thomas Greer, Peter Jasper and Thomas Babb.

"Special session, August 20, 1850. This day the commissioners met pursuant to adjournment, present : Joseph Hoskins, Azel Walker and Enos L. Lacy.

"This day a petition was presented to the commissioners of the county, praying for a new township, to be taken from the townships of Richmond, Union and Liberty, as set forth in a petition signed by a majority of the householders residing within the boundaries of the proposed new township, of which the following is a copy, to wit:

"No the Commissioners of Clinton County: Your petitioners, citizens of Clinton county, Ohio, respectfully present that we labor under great inconvenience on account of our very remote situation from the place of holding elections, and from the place where the other township business is transacted, in consequence of which we respectfully but most earnestly ask you to establish a township to be taken out of Union, Richland and Liberty townships, to be bounded as follows, to wit: southeast line of A. Benjamin's survey No. 927, thence southwesterly with the line of said survey to the east corner of Thomas Shaw's survey No. 844; thence with the southeasterly line of said line of said survey to the east corner of William Taylor's survey No. 726; thence with the southeast line of said survey to its south and east corner of William Lindsey's survey No. 732; thence westwardly across said survey to its west corner, and east corner of Thomas Bland's survey No. 885; thence northwardly with the northeasterly line of said Bland's survey to its north corner, and the east corner of William White's survey No. 2,714, in Union township; thence northwardly and with the northeast line of said survey No. 2,714 to the west corner of Richard Call's survey No. 887, and at or near the line of Union and Liberty townships; thence in a northeasterly direction to the northeast corner of Liberty and northwest corner of Richland townships, in the Greene county line; thence eastwardly with the north line of Clinton county to the place of beginning, which limits as here prescribed contain the amount of territory required by law to constitute a township.

"We, your petitioners, now claim it as an act of justice, inasmuch as there is left in each of the townships from which the proposed new township is to be taken ample amount of territory still to constitute a constitutional township; that our petition be granted as now asked for, and which is signed by citizens and voters in the district included in the limits of the new township, July 13, 1850'

"And being satisfied that thirty days' previous notice of such intended application had first been given by advertising in three public places within the boundaries of said proposed new township, the commissioners being also satisfied that it is necessary to erect a new township as prayed for by said petitioners, and as fully set forth by a plot and survey, made by Hiram Madden, surveyor, and this day presented by said petitioners to the county commissioners, by which they are satisfied that the said proposed new township embraces a territory of more than twenty-two square miles. Thereupon, the commissioners granted the prayer of said petitioners, and direct that a township shall be laid off and established according to the boundaries described in said petition, plat and survey, by the name of Wilson township; and direct that the boundaries as set forth in such plat and survey be recorded as required by law, together with the proceedings had by the board in relation thereto."

At the same meeting the commissioners, made the following allowances for platting and surveying the township: To Hiram Madden, surveyor, 9 days, at $1.50, $13.50; to Edwin Raleigh, chain-carrier, 6 days, at 75 cents, $4.50; to James Glover, chain-carrier, 6 days, at 75 cents, $4.50; to Edmund Thorp, marker, 6 days, at 75 cents, $4.50.

As a final act in the creation of the new township, an election was ordered to be held on Saturday, September 7, 1850, at the tavern of H. H. Bruce, in the town of Lewisville, for officers, three trustees, one clerk, one treasurer, one assessor and one constable. From the township records the foHowing is taken:

"Between the hours of eight and ten'o'clock A. M., a lawful number of the voters of Wilson township being present in the town of Bloomington, proceeeded to nominate Edmund Thorp, Samuel Furnace and Elisha Gallemore, judges of election, and Jesse Everest and H. T. Moorman, clerks. Proceeded to the election of three trustees, one clerk, one treasurer, one assessor and one constable for Wilson township. On examining the votes given the following persons were declared duly elected: Trustees, Anderson Horney, H. H. Hankins, John G. Coulter; clerk, Absalom Douglass; treasurer, William Peelle: constable, Isaac Turner; assessor, Isaac Turner."

No changes were made in the roll of officers at the second election. held April 7, 1851, except in trustees. William Reed was chosen in the place of H. H. Hankins. Road supervisors were also chosen at this election, as follow: District No. 1, Adam Long; district No. 2, James Ritchie; district No. 3, Reuben Peelle; district No. 4, Eri Lamb; district No. 5, John D. Holson: district No. 6, Benjamin Barnes. A school tax of two mills to the dollar was voted on, on the grand levy, and resulted in ninety-three votes being cast for the school tax and forty-six votes against it.

At the same election the question of Clinton county subscribing two hundred thousand dollars toward the construction of the Cincinnati, Wilmington & Zanesville railroad was submitted to the voters and was accepted by the vote of one hundred and forty-one in favor of the subscription and only twelve votes against.

The following are the officers of Wilson township in 1915: Trustees, C. E. Peelle, Bert Burns and J. F. Reardon; clerk, H. H. Creeden; treasurer, C. T. Telfair. Population, eight hundred thirty-two.

Wilson township is located in the northeastern portion of the county, and is bounded on the north by Fayette county, on the east by Richland township, on the south by Richland and Union townships and on the west by Union and Liberty townships. The surface of the township is either level or gently undulating. It is divided into two nearly equal portions by the watershed between the Scioto and Little Miami rivers. On the western side the descent is rather abrupt to Anderson's prairie. which fills the greater portion of that side and is drained by a creek of the same name. The land on the eastern side slopes off much more gradually to the beds of Wilson's creek and the Little Rattlesnake. These three streams form the natural drainage of the township. The soil isa rich black loam of an excellent quality of yellow clay, easily tilled.

Bloomington is the only village in Wilson township. It was laid out in 1842 by the county surveyor, Peyton West, for James Degroot, the proprietor. This little hamlet first bore the name of Lewisville, but when the postoffice was established it was given the name which it now bears. Lewisville began small and has bravely held its "smallness," By the census of 1880, it contained a population of one hundred sixty-nine; at present the population is much less. The citizens of thts little wayside village are served with two general stores, H. H. Creedon and S. M. Kellison; R. T. Briggs is the village blacksmith.