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although the greater part of the work on the dam, digging the race and putting up the house, was done by volunteer work. The next, in the way of mill improvements, was a saw-mill, built by Jeremiah Rogers, on Hoover's Branch, on the farm now owned by Peter Skidmore, which was of service many years; but of these two old mills, only the landmarks are left.

Soon after these mills were built, David Clapp, early in 1832, commenced to build a flouring-mill on the second branch. The same fall, a saw-mill was running. The grist-mill began to run in the following year. The race was dug nearly half a mile through the roots of the primitive forest. Samuel Hatter and Joseph Rarick took the job for $100, and they hired William Baldwin, William Dennison, John Dixon and George Young to assist them. These men worked at prices ranging from 2 to 3 shillings per day. Andrew Bickel was also employed. Being considered rather an extra hand, he was paid 43 cents per day, the understanding being that he should keep the fact of greater wages to himself. Prior to the erection of this mill, the people here were used to going to a small flouring-mill near Coletown. The year 1832 was marked by a severely cold winter, and the mill froze up. Mr. Bickel tells of working, in company with two others, nearly all day to get the ice cut out, and all the grinding done by night was a half-bushel of cornmeal. This they divided between them, in shares proportioned to the size of the respective families. There are now four water and two steam saw-mills in the township. McClure's mill is run by water and by steam; it has been repaired and rebuilt, until it is now a first-class flouring-mill, and is worthy of the patronage given.

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These enterprising pioneers soon began to want a little nicer and safer chimney than the one of mud and sticks, so, with John Snell at the lead, they in common set to work to burn a brick-kiln, but in order to succeed they were obliged to go over to Greenville Township to call upon Hiller to assist in the molding and burning. They did good work, as some of the old chimneys will yet testify. James Brady and John Chenoweth were the first to burn brick and to build brick houses, but Joel Cosad was the first to build a frame house. It was about 18x20 feet base and one story high. . One fact in this connection is worthy of note, that is, but few ever left the county who once settled in it; they were either satisfied with the country or were else too poor to get away. As we have indicated, there are quite a number that have lived in the township from fifty to sixty years. early times, there was a struggle for village notoriety between Nashville and Hill Grove, but long ago Nashville yielded the contest and not a building is left to mark the site of the would-be village, and Hill Grove came very near being absorbed by Union City. In this connection, it is well to recall Colona, a village located on December 31, which bloomed and died in a brief time. A few lots were laid out and sold, and a few dwellings were erected, but it soon became apparent that there was nothing to incite effort or induce settlement, and the vestiges of occupation soon disappeared, and few, if any, of the citizens of the township in 1880 remember or ever knew that the village of Colona ever had existence. It, like Nashville, was laid out on the old State road, and afforded a halting place to movers and travelers, where they might rest and might obtain food for themselves and for their teams.

The village of Hill Grove is situated at the northwest corner of Section 4. It was laid out in 1848, by W. McKee. The population numbers about two hundred persons. It is distant from Union City but little more than two miles, and from Greenville nine and a half. The Greenville & Union pike and the Dayton & Union Railroad run through it. It contains three churches-the German Reformed, United Brethren and Methodist Episcopal. The former was originally built by the Old School Presbyterians, and purchased by the society named in 1876, and Rev. J. Stuck has been Pastor ever since. It was rebuilt during the summer of 1879, and is a neat brick structure, pleasantly located on the north side of Liberty street, in the northeastern part of town. The United Brethren

Church is a neat frame, medium-sized building, near the township line, and built in 1878. The Methodist Church is situated over the line a short distance, in Jackson Township, in the northwest part of the village and near that end of Main street. The schoolhouse, which has a school enrolling ninety-four pupils. is located on Main street, opposite the southeast end of Locust street. On the corner of Cherry and Liberty streets stands a two-story grist-mill, originally built as a warehouse when the railroad was put through. It has two run of buhrs, and is employed exclusively in custom work. Its present owner is Louis Limperd, and it is run by Samuel Limperd. J. A. Bickell's general store is located on the southeast corner of Main and Liberty streets. On the opposite side of Main street, but farther south, on Lot No. 27, is a blacksmith-shop, built by J. Conspue in 1857; the old part was built by Wash. McKee about 1834. Mr. McKee kept the first store in Hill Grove, but a short time before there had been a trading station run by Charles Sumption. Herman Searles was among the early storekeepers in the township, and George Clapp built the first blacksmith-shop; it was located about half a mile southeast of the present village. As to the schools, they were generally taught in old deserted cabins until the settlers saw fit to select some convenient site and unite on some day to build a cabin; afterward a teacher was hired by the process of joint subscription.

There is as yet no school law, no defined districts, and there is something yet lacking. It is the year 1822, and the house stands surrounded by a pathless forest and the woodmen's children cannot find their way securely. Parents and older boys select the best and nearest paths, which they blaze and cut away brush from. They cut small trees across slashes and branches. They put up hand poles to steady the children in crossing, and then, with Webster's Speller, English Reader, Pike's Arithmetic, slate and pencil, one-half quire blue paper, one-half dozen goose quills and a bottle of home-made ink, the most advanced was thoroughly equipped, and, not unfrequently, several of the same family were used to study the same meager set of books.

In this rude state, the children sat for hours on a bench, crowded together with feet swinging between bench and floor from morning till noon, and not allowed to whisper or scarcely look off their books without being liable to punish

ment.

As to the teachers, they were usually limited in qualifications, being generally competent to instruct in orthography, reading, writing and arithmetic; sometimes knowledge of the latter was very limited. All were skilled in the use of the rod, which was plied unmercifully on the slightest neglect or provocation. There were only three months' school each year, and these were in the winter, and unexceptionally taught by school masters.

The first school taught in the township was under control of Samuel Cole, during the winter of 1818-19, in one part of his double log cabin, on the farm now owned by Dilmon Mote. The pioneer school building was raised on the farm of John Snell, now owned by Samuel Elston, in the year 1821 or 1822. The first schoolhouse in the Bickel neighborhood was built at an early day, not later than 1835. Various persons taught subscription schools for short terms therein. Still earlier, schools were kept as above stated. The first school taught in this house, after public money had been granted in partial support of education, was by J. H. Williamson. His first school, taught when he was but fourteen years of age, was in a neighboring district, the previous winter. He afterward taught at McClure's Mills, and in various other districts. Joseph Worth taught three winters, amounting to ten months of twenty-six days to the month, for $10 per month, and boarded himself, save when the weather was too bad for him to go home. Another pioneerlike schoolhouse was built in 1831, on the place of Martin Cox, and another of the old teachers was Thomas Hoffman.

Contrast the past with the present. There are now in the township eleven school districts, with a large brick house in most of them. Each house will seat

an average of sixty pupils. There are elegant seats, fine desks, good blackboards, charts, and well-arranged rooms. Pupils are well supplied with as many books as they can well carry, and thrice as many as they can well study: There are competent teachers, well paid, and free schools full six months each year. The contrast of wages is from the $25 to $35 per quarter of sixty-five days' term olden times, paid in produce in part, to the from $100 to $120 per quarter of sixty days, cash in hand.

A brief reference to the churches is appropriate in the detail of important social organizations. The Hiller Church, built on Section 36, was the first built in the township, and, also, was the first built in the county. The date of its construction is traditionally fixed in 1819, and it was the volunteer labor of the able-bodied men of the whole settlement, and, when it was completed, it was free to all. It was known as a Methodist Episcopal Church, and still stands. The next church was the Chenoweth Church, built on Section 32, at an early date, by the Methodists. It subserved the purpose of its construction, and has long since been leveled to the earth. The third building for purposes of worship was erected on the farm of Martin Cox, on Section 14, by the people of the Presbyterian society. It was known as the "Cox Meeting-house." These were points and places well known, but the usual place of worship was the cabin or barn of the settler, or, in warm, pleasant weather, in God's first temples-the shade of noble forest trees.

A German Baptist Church is located on the northeast quarter of Section 9, about one and a half miles southeast of Hill Grove, on the Greenville and Union pike. The lot on which it was situated, comprising three-fourths of an acre, was donated by John Flory. The church was built during the spring of 1878. It is a neat frame structure, costing $800. The building committee were Jacob Merrick, John Flory and Daniel Wagner. The following-named preachers have officiated therein William Simmons, Washington Wenrick, Samuel Puterbaugh and Benjamin Bowman. Services by some of the above were held on almost every Sunday. There is a good membership, but no Sabbath school.

We have said that not unusually services were held in the forest. The Methodist frontier camp-meetings were once an institution that could not well be dispensed with, and seemed to be a recruiting point for the M. E. Church, and a place where all met on a common level for the renewal of their spiritual strength, and to extend a general acquaintance among the brotherhood. The first meeting or encampment of this kind held anywhere in Darke or adjoining counties, so far as known, took place in Washington Township, on Section 33, in the vicinity of what was then known as the Devor Spring, but what is now denominated the Houpt Farm. The date of the meeting is not remembered. In 1838-39, Methodist camp-meeting was held on the farm of John Chenoweth, on Section 32. Of the ministers present and actively engaged, but one is recalled, and this was Rev. W. W. Jordan. The camps were built of poles, and on three sides, forming what might be termed a hollow square, with the seats between the camps, and the pulpit having a central position at one end, facing the center. The period of encampment usually lasted from ten days to two or three weeks. It is needless to say that the "rowdies," as styled by the church people, had their full share of recreation at these assemblies.

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The oldest record that can be found of the board of township officers commences with 1828, yet there is a record of the ear marks of animals running at large which goes as far back as April 20, 1819, thereby preserving the names of the Township Clerks that far back. The first Township Clerk's name thus obtained is Moses Rush for 1819; the second John McNeal, for 1820; John Wintermote for 1821-22; Samuel Cole for 1823, and Christian Miller for 1824. In 1828, there is a full board given, as follows: Charles Sumption, James Brady and Leonard Wintermote, Trustees; Samuel Kimber, Treasurer; John S. Hiller, Clerk. The governing motives of those early officers of Washington Township was undoubtedly purely patriotic, for no Trustee, Treasurer or Clerk ever charged one cent for

his services until 1838, when the Clerk, Aaron Hiller, who had to perform extra services in regard to school affairs, made a charge of and was allowed the sum of $5. All settlements prior to this show that the Township Board gave their services gratuitously.

The receipts and expenditures of each year, from the formation of the township up to 1835, range from nothing to $12; but in this year the amount in the hands of the Treasurer was $43.064, mostly from the sale of stray animals. The following are two settlements in full given by the Township Board: James Brady, Treasurer, receipts and expenditures of Washington Township for the year next preceding the year 1830.

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In 1833, this settlement occurs with Aaron Hiller, Treasurer:

Received nor laid out no money this year; the amount in the Treasury this year is $20 754. and the Treasurer makes no charge for his services.

JOSEPH COLE, Township Clerk.

JOHN CARNAHAN, Trustees.
DAVID CLAPP,

In like manner the settlements run until 1840, when money matters began to increase, especially as the public money for school purposes was handled by the Treasurer. The records show that but five different men had filled the office of Treasurer since 1827, namely: Samuel Kimber, James Brady, Aaron Hiller, John McClure and George McClure. John McClure has filled the position continuously since 1838, save one term when he was a member of the Ohio Legislature, being Treasurer thirty-six years. The office of Justice of the Peace has run much after the style of Treasurer. Aaron Hiller served as Justice for twenty-one years, and T. F. Chenoweth for twenty-three years, and is still (1876) holding that office.

In 1824, the political cast was all on one side, nearly all voting for Andrew Jackson for President, there being but three votes cast against him. Though in later years not so radical, except in 1854, when the township took another freak, and all went solid for the Know-Nothing ticket, except seven who voted the Democratic ticket. These were the extremes. Usually in township elections there has been but little party strife.

The citizens are strictly agriculturists. The township expenses have been moderate, and the rate of taxation has always been among the lowest in the county, while her improvements have equaled the best. The old survivors of the early day have seen much change. Where Indian traces wound their sinuous way through the forest, there are now many miles of turnpike roads and well-improved dirt roads. Log house and stump-marked clearing are replaced by handsome homes, well-tilled fields and well-drained lands, and the present of the township is a constant source of satisfaction to pioneers as the rightful result of years of toil.

GERMAN TOWNSHIP.

Located in the west tier of townships and in the second tier from the south. It has been formed since December, 1820. Its lands were taken from the south part of Washington and the north part of Harrison, the north tier of sections in

the last-named township being added. Then the northern boundary was a line running some forty rods north of the Whitewater road. In June, 1827, it was reduced to its present size, which includes all of Town 11 north, Range 1 east. In December, 1833, the north tier of sections was thrown into Washington Township, but these were returned to the township in December, 1834.

In area, it includes about thirty-three square miles, or over 21,000 acres of land. The surface in the eastern part is gently undulating, and in the western part flat and level. Several sections in the south central part are considerably broken. West Branch Creek and Second Branch Creek are the principal streams. West Branch Creek drains the eastern portion. Extending along the line of its general course there is to be seen a beautiful and valuable tract, known as West Branch Prairie. In the early day, this ground was wet, boggy, and generally deemed useless for agricultural purposes, but it has been reclaimed in the main. and is productive of heavy crops. There are few places more fascinating to the eye than is this prairie as it gently slopes upward on both sides of West Branch Creek. There are numerous springs along its course, which supply it the year round with pure running water. There is virtually no waste land in the township, and there is nowhere any soil better adapted to tillage. As is well known, but not realized, the surface was in the early day covered with a growth of a great variety of forest trees. In places the sugar maple abounds, and has been utilized to the manuacture of sirups especially. Many extensive gravel beds of the best quality are interspersed throughout the southern and eastern parts. Many of them are of use in the improvement of the highways, most of which are excellent.

From indications, this township was a favorite resort for the aboriginal occupants. On the arrival of the whites, several Indian camps were found, but within a few years, they disappeared. The prairie, heretofore mentioned, was a favorite resort, having for the red man a peculiar attraction.

Old settlers affirm that a spring on the lands of Elias Ross was a special attraction, not only to the Indian, but to troops of wild animals, on account of the purity and sweetness of its waters.

Indications show at least two Indian villages of considerable size within the present limits of the the township. One of these was located on Section 10, and the other on Section 3, both near fine springs. Indian implements of great variety and in considerable abundance are found strewn over the surface in the vicinity. A collection of such relics, made by C. M. Young, resident upon Section 3, within the years from 1876 to 1880, consist of about 1,000 specimens, most of which were found in this township, and many of which are rare. Remains of skeletons, supposed to have belonged to Indians, are found in abundance in many of the gravel banks, which have been opened up. One skull was found near the residence of Jesse Woods, of remarkable size.

The topography of the township shows that it possessed many points of interest and attraction; its running waters, its prairies and its gently rolling surface were points at once marked to the quick, searching eye of the pioneer, and the date of its settlement was far back toward the beginning of the century. To whom the titular honor of being the first settler belongs is hard to determine. It lies between James Cloyd and Jonathan Pearson, with the evidence in favor of the former. Mr. Cloyd was born in Virginia, in 1790, and removed to Ohio when a child. Engaged as a soldier during the war of 1812, he was stationed much of the time at Fort Greenville. In 1815, he married Elizabeth Norftsinger, daughter of Andrew Norftsinger, one of the pioneers of the county. Mr. Norftsinger had built a block-house during the troublous period, and in this he lived until peace was declared. The site of this old fortification was in Neave Township.

In 1814, Mr. Cloyd moved to this township and settled on the prairie, just south of the present site of Palestine. He was one of the first grand jury empaneled in the county, and bore a good name for energy, generosity and benevolence. His death took place May 26. 1872, and his remains rest in the Palestine

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