Page images
PDF
EPUB

Turn we to note in brief a few facts pertaining to the initiatory settlement and concurrent events, with a further glance at consequent social progress.

The administration of justice in minor courts was a feature of the early day. A suit was brought in Patterson by Isaac,Finkbone against Reason R. Miller upon a book account kept by the latter for the former. In the book all the leaves containing credits in favor of Finkbone had disappeared. James Patterson acted as Constable. The case was tried before William J. English, the first Justice of the Peace in the township, and interest attaches from the circumstance that this was the first resort to legal tribunal for redress of grievances in the neighborhood. The defense employed James Brandon as counsel, who won the case on good legal ground, though his client was morally in error.

The Millers became obnoxious to the community, and it is said that their habitation was destroyed, and they themselves finally disappeared from this vicinity.

The advantage of a country store to a rural community and the chance of a livelihood by carrying on business in such a place was first understood by Joseph Vanky, who opened a grocery in Woodland a short time after it was laid out. Through the efforts of Dr. S. A. Greer, one of the oldest and most influential residents, a post office was established at this same place some time before the civil war. It was kept in his house, which stands a half-mile south of Woodland. It was removed to the Childers' farmhouse, Mr. Childers being appointed Postmaster, and a year and a half later was brought back to Dr. Greer's, and Abner Clark became Postmaster. The office was temporarily discontinued until the spring of 1879, when Willow Dell Office was created and located at Woodland, with John C. Schilling, Postmaster.

Among the first township officers may be named Dr. Greer, Richard Mendenhall, John Puterbaugh, Samuel Day, James Davidson, James Patter son, Anthony Coble, John Deweere and Robert Brandon. Of those oldest settlers who have died may be mentioned John Day, J. P. Puterbaugh, J. Davidson, S. Day and R. Mendenhall. William Russel came to Piqua from North Carolina, and moved into Patterson Townsiph in 1834 or 1835, and settled on forty acres of Section 28. He had a son Joseph, now deceased, and the place is now owned by John Piquenot. Thomas Mendenhall moved in from Miami County in 1835 or 1836, and located near the northwest corner of the township. Arphaxed Julian, of Shelby County, settled in the west part of the township. James Patterson, Sr., father of him who gave his name to the section, came to Ohio in 1817 from Westmoreland County, Penn., made a brief stay at Lebanon. Warren County, then came to Union, and a year later entered 160 acres south of Webster, on the Stillwater. His wife died in 1826, and, selling his land, he went back to Warren County, and thence returned to what is now known as Patterson Township, where he entered eighty acres southeast of Woodland, in Section 28. Town 11, Range 4 east, being the east half of the northeast quarter. He died on this farm in 1855, at the age of fifty-six years. His first marriage was to Polly McIntyre, his second to Catharine Rudy. There were fourteen children in the two families. A son, James Patterson, is owner of 280 acres in Sections 22 and 28, adjoining the Shelby County line, is a leading citizen, and has been Justice of the Peace for a number of years.

The land in Patterson was entered principally in small tracts of forty and eighty acres, but there have been among the settlers large landholders. John Deweere has 600 acres after having disposed of as much in farms to his children. Nicholas Flinney has about 500; J. Patterson, having sold 120, has 280 acres Peter Shields has 480; Hamilton Coble has 180; Anthony Coble has disposed of about 600 acres, and has 200 left; Henry Starke has 400 acres. Seven hundred and fourteen acres was entered by one party, and John Wood, of Chillicothe, entered an entire section.

The southern part of Patterson is rolling, and much of the soil is light clay, The timber is beech, sugar maple and oak. The northern part is a darker and

stronger soil, bearing more of lime, sycamore and walnut. There is moist, cold land in the north, which is rapidly being improved by drainage. The hamlet of Woodland is on the watershed, the slope being southward toward the Stillwater, and northward into Mercer County. The village school is a short way south of the place, and J. B. Martin, the present teacher, has an average attendance of about thirty pupils. There are seven school districts, having six frame houses and one of brick.

No railroads traverse the township. It contains three churches. The Lutheran, in Woodland, built in 1865, with a parsonage. The first residence for the minister was a log house, erected in 1868, the present is a frame. The first preacher was Rev. Shaffer, followed by Rev. Framer, Rev. Suter, and he by the present pastor, Rev. Leiderman. A Sabbath school, held during the summer, is largely attended. The Pine Church (Christian), is located two and a half miles north of Woodland, on the Berlin pike, in the Coble settlement. The house was erected in 1863. Rev. Richard Brandon was the first minister, succeeded by Abner Long, and he by Rev. Butts. Preaching is held once a month. The membership has been as high as forty. The Christians are now engaged in building a church in the Speelman settlement, on the northeast quarter of Section 25, Range 3. A congregation and Sabbath school are established in that neighborhood. Meetings are held at the house of John Blotner, and in the schoolhouse on the farm of A. Mendenhall, part of the southwest quarter of Section 24. Services and Sabbath school are largely attended. The people of Pleasant Ridge and vicinity, belonging to the United Brethren, have Sabbath school in the house on the northeast corner of the farm of John Long. Church services are held once in three weeks. About thirty pupils attend the school, of which Joseph Wolf is the Superintendent. The Christian denomination held religious services at Grange Hall (formerly a schoolhouse), and their Sabbath school is superintended by W. W. Richardson.

The Patrons of Husbandry have an organization in this township, established in 1876, with a membership of about forty. Mr. Richardson, above named, was the first Master.

The present Township Trustees are William Hawk, David Speelman and J. M. Simon. The Township Clerk is F. P. Hawk. Merchandise is sold by J. C. Shilling and F. P. Hawk, in a building erected for the purpose, some twelve years ago, by G. B. Litman, the first storekeeper therein and the present owner of the premises. About eighteen years ago, a blacksmith, named Henry Howshilt, located in the township and still pursues his useful and laborious calling.

During the war for the Union, the people of Patterson were prompt and patriotic, their quota was speedily raised and the draft, obnoxious and dreaded, had little influence with them. Although late of settlement and remote from towns, the present of Patterson is not without much of interest, and the time approaches when it will stand well among the leading townships of the county.

WABASH TOWNSHIP.

The township is located upon the north line of Darke County, being the third east from the Indiana line. It is in Township 12, Range 3 east, with Sections 1, 12, 13 and 24 of Township 14, Range 2 east. Formerly, it extended two miles farther north to the old Indiana boundary line running from Fort Recovery to Fort Loramie. The reduction in area was caused by the assignment of this and other lands of Darke to Mercer, on the formation of Auglaize. It is situated upon an elevated plateau or table land, being nearly 700 feet above Cincinnati. The north part of the township has a deep, dark, loamy soil, well adapted to raising corn and grain. The south part is a light soil, underlaid with a stiff clay subsoil, producing heavy crops of wheat and other grains. Forty-six bushels of wheat to an acre were raised in the year 1879. The township is well calculated for stock raising.

Originally, a sturdy growth of timber covered every acre, but now about twothirds of the extent is cleared-the greater part of which is cultivated. A great deal of tile has been put down, and, though level and apparently low, the drainage is sufficient for successful culture except in unusually wet seasons. Attention is beginning to be paid to the improvement of stock. Mr. John Dodds has taken especial interest in this particular, and as a result, it will not be many years before the farmers of Wabash will be of the foremost in the county as stock-raisers. The farm of Mr. Dodds lies partly in Allen, and comprises about 500 acres, with good buildings and the machinery now in use. Originally the farms in this township were large, much of the land being entered in quarter, third and half sections. William A. Davison and Nimrod Ross, brothers-in-law, in the spring of 1838, bought together the west half of the southwest quarter, Section 12, the east half of southeast quarter, Section 11, the northwest quarter and west half of northeast quarter of Section 12, and sold this body of land on October 23 following, to Harmonious Shook for $1,800. In accord with the results of land ownership in this county, successive sales have been made and a number of good farms have been formed from this tract. It is reported that the first settlement of Wabash Township was in 1832, and Jesse Hill is spoken of as the pioneer. He was followed by Isaac Finkbone, Harmon, Henry, Peter and Elijah Shook, A. D. Birt. J. M. Houston, Samuel Hays and Justin Skinner. The Shooks and Birt were from Greene County, Ohio, Houston and Hays from Warren County, Ohio, and Skinner from New York. The township was organized in 1840 with sixteen voters within its limits all of whom voted the same ticket in the exciting election of that year. The pioneer Justice of the Peace was Elijah Shook, who held that position twentyone consecutive years, and until his demise. J. M. Houston was the first Township Clerk and the first Postmaster. At the time of its organization but one road was established within its limits, and that one was nothing else than a bridge path. In 1841, what is known as the Greenville and Celina road was surveyed by John Devor, Sr., and established and opened soon after.

The early settlers had their full share of hardships, privations and adventures. Mills were distant, roads almost impassable, and often the settler, not so very hardy after all, was placed on short allowance for bread until the two or three days' trip to the mill could be made. Game was abundant, and the trusty rifle never failed to keep the table supplied with choice venison or wild turkey; indeed no one thought of going even to a neighbor's house without his rifle or shot-gun. Much of the land being owned by non-residents, the actual settlers often called upon the pioneers to assist in finding them lands and corners. Foremost among the experts of this business were Isaac Finkbone and J. M. Houston-either of whom could find any section line or corner within a radius of seven miles from his home.

Working bees were very common. Among these were house-raisings, logrollings, rail-makings, etc., among the men, and quiltings and comfort-knottings among the women. At these gatherings, everybody within five miles was invited, and invariably went; and the amount of work accomplished would surprise the present generation. Ten to fifteen acres were often rolled and log-heaps fired dur ing the same day. Large log houses were raised and roofed, and sometimes floored, in a day. Often would five to seven thousand rails be made during a day by the men, while the women would finish one or two quilts; and most of the night was then given to the merry dance, then trudging homeward through water and mud at early dawn, or, perhaps, if desirous of putting on style, some stalwart swain having brought along his horse, would take his ladylove on behind him to traverse the woods, parting the brush and leaping logs until arrived at home.

The road surveyed by John Devor, in 1841, soon became the favorite route of travel between Greenville and Celina. As the counties of Darke and Mercer were in the same judicial district, and as the only mode of travel was on horseback, at the times of court at either Greenville or Celina, squads of lawyers could be seen wending their way, single file, to attend the sessions. The residence of J.

M. Houston was midway between the two towns, and it became a regular stopping place for dinner. If the path was good, the time was good; but more frequently the trip took two days, and this house was the lodgings for the night. Among these pioneer legal lights were Judges Haines and Wilson, and Messrs. Bell, Dempsey and Knox. Those living no doubt recollect the genial hospitality, the corn bread, fat venison, social chat, and last-not least-the ingenious contrivance for bedding fifteen to twenty persons in a log cabin in size 18x22 feet. Squire Houston has been in public life in Warren County for many years, and has taken great interest in public affairs. As at this time there was no mail route, he availed himself of the lawyers' presence to "post up," and converse was often maintained till far into the night. Of those present at the organization, and voting at the first election, but one remains-Orrin Skinner. Thomas Birt is the oldest resident, but was not twenty-one at that time. The descendants of the Shook and Houston families are yet living in the township, and enjoying the fruits of their early hardships and toil, and many a tale of the early day may be heard among them. There are six school districts in Wabash Township, and as many brick schoolhouses, ranging in value from $800 to $1,200 each. The interest taken in educational matters, and the liberal provision made for schools, augrs well for the future intellectual status of Wabash. The first schoolhouse was built in the spring of 1844, in the E. S. Shook neighborhood, on Section 13. The first teacher in this house was Elijah Raines, who came from Greene County. The first church was the Methodist Episcopal, built of logs, in 1844, in the Shook settlement. A second building, of the same material, was built in the fall of 1848, in the same locality. There was no formal dedication of the former, and it is a matter of doubt whether there was to the latter; but services were occasionally held in it by Rev. Harmount.

In 1870, a frame church was erected, the third in this place; and this was duly consecrated by Rev. Wycke. During the spring of 1876, the erection of a meeting-house was contracted for by A. R. Catterell, at North Star. On its completion, it was dedicated by Rev. R. D. Oldfield, assisted by Rev. T. D. Howe. This was during the time when Rev. M. Omerod was on the Dawn Circuit. There is a Christian Church in what is called the Holsapple settlement, on the Wabash, north of the center of Section 12, about two and one-half miles from North Star. It is a frame, and was built in 1871.

In the line of manufacture there are two tile factories, one operated by Gilbert & Trissell, formerly by Harvey Burns and Benjamin Gilbert, and the other by Ephraim Trissell and Alvin Jones. A saw-mill was erected at North Star in 1852, by John and David Trissell. To this mill. grist works were added in 1858 by Stephen J. Houston. The property is now owned by Andrew Alexander. Another mill stood a half-mile east of North Star. It was built by David Trissell and was burned down in 1878. The establishment of mail routes gave employment to Freeman Whittaker, who was the first to carry the mail in Wabash. In accord with the custom and necessity of the times, small cemeteries were laid out adjacent the churches; there were three in the township, located respectively at Shook's Chapel, Holsapple's and at Perrysville.

North Star is the principal village in Wabash, and stands one-fourth mile west of the center of the township, and in the center north and south. It was laid out in 1852. It is distant from Berlin ten miles, from Rossville six, from Celina seventeen, and from Greenville eighteen. The first sale of lots was made by H. Puterbaugh from Section 17. Sales were also made by D. H. T. Sullow from Section 9, and by S. J. Houston out of Section 8. None have been sold from

Section 16, of which Mrs. Myra Wallace owns an eighth, and upon which she has a fine dwelling. On the corner section opposite is a general store building kept by Peter Groff, and built in 1852 by William Edwards, who put in the first stock of goods. It has changed proprietors a number of times in the interim from Edwards' till Groff's time, and both building and lot belong to the Campbell

heirs. The church here, as stated, was begun in 1876, but not finished until recently. A blacksmith named William Pierson built and operated a shop at the village in 1860. The saw-mill previously noted does an extensive business. The population of North Star is about one hundred and fifty.

The following are the statistics of the township for 1879: Wheat, 1,280 acres, 19,463 bushels; rye, 36 acres, 405 bushels; buckwheat, 14 acres, 204 bushels; oats, 644 acres, 20,806 bushels; barley, 9 acres, 101 bushels; corn, 2.212 acres, 23,350 bushels; meadow, 275 acres, 274 tons; clover, 278 acres, 203 tons, 30 bushels seed and ten acres plowed under; flax, 103 acres, 966 bushels; potatoes, 564 acres, 9,004 bushels; tobacco, 9 acres, 9,160 pounds; butter, 19,415 pounds; sorghum, 43 acres, 3,819 gallons sirup; maple sugar, 40 pounds; bees (hives), 83, 1,800 pounds; sweet potatoes, 116 bushels; orchards, 144 acres. The total of lands in Wabash is 10,550 acres, of which 5,918 are cultivated, 62 in pasture, 4,275 in woods, and 295 in waste. Considering lateness in settlement, difficulties in the way and distance from market, the record of the past and of the present give encouraging promise for the future.

ALLEN TOWNSHIP.

Allen was taken from the north end of Brown Township in March, 1839, and contained all of Townships 14 and 15 north, of Range 2 east, except one tier of sections from the east side of each. In 1848, Township 15 was thrown into Mercer County. The general surface of Allen is rolling, and occasional hills are seen along the Wabash and Stillwater streams--the first named enters the township near the extreme northwestern corner, and flows in a general southeast course to the southeast corner of Section 15, two miles north of Rossville, then due northeast to Section 11, where it enters Wabash Township. The second rises on the L. M. Turner place, southwest quarter Section 17, and runs southeast, crosses the pike a half-mile north of Rossville, keeps the same course a distance, reaches, finally, the southern line of the township, and enters Brown. The soil is dark and rich in the lowlands, but the clay predominates in the uplands.

At the present time, about one-third of the eastern portion of the township is timbered, which increases to a half in the western and northwestern parts. There are four saw-mills in almost constant operation. There are Titus' mill, close to the county line, five miles north of Rossville; Rodehammel's large steam-mill, two and a half miles north of the same place, and Sutherland's mill, one and a half miles east of the steam-mill. These mills are rapidly reducing the quantity of timber suitable for the various kinds of lumber. The township is well supplied with roads. Almost every section line is either a county road or a pike. No railroad touches the township. The houses are now mostly frame buildings, but there are a number of brick dwellings. Many of the better class of residences are seen. Farms are about on an average with those in the northern part of the county, generally.

The Irelands (Ephraim and Aaron) were the first settlers in Allen. They settled on Section 34, just south of where Rossville now is, on what is now known as the John Hagerman place. Others of the pioneers were George Reigel, with his sons John, David, Jacob and Jonathan ; Samuel Zerby, Samuel Aspaugh, Landis Light, John Hagerman, Matthias Barnhart, Francis Jenkinson, Henry Brown; also James Cochran, who was the first Justice of the Peace in the township.

The first schoolhouse was built, during the year 1840, on land since owned by Joseph Bingham, on Section 30. The pioneer church was erected, in 1854, by the Methodists, on the line between Sections 29 and 32, two miles west of Rossville, on the present road to Lightsville. In 1855, a church was built by the German Lutheran denomination on the farm of Jacob Zerby, a little more than half a mile farther west of Rossville than the other. The first sermons preached in the

« PreviousContinue »