A HISTORY


OF


ADAMS COUNTY, OHIO


FROM ITS EARLIEST SETTLEMENT TO THE

PRESENT TIME


INCLUDING


Character Sketches of the Prominent Persons Identified with the First

Century of the County's Growth



AND


Containing Numerous Engravings and Illustrations



BY



NELSON W. EVANS AND EMMONS B. STIVERS.



WEST UNION, OHIO

PUBLISHED BY E. B. STIVERS

1900






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PREFACE


The history of Adams County properly dates from the month of December, in the year 1790, when Nathaniel Massie and his little band of hardy frontiersmen began the erection of the Stockade at the Three Islands on the present site of the town of Manchester. This was the "pioneer corps" in the Virginia Military Reservation, in the Northwest Territory, and was the beginning of the third permanent white settlement in the State of Ohio.


This settlement was begun at a time when the Indian denizens of the region were waging the most cruel and most relentless warfare in the history of the country, against the border settlements of Virginia and Kentucky ; and, it was maintained by its brave and vigilant founders, without Federal assistance, until the close of hostilities at the Treaty of Greenville in 1795


From the Stockade as a base of supplies, and as a place of refuge in 'case of attack, these daring adventurers explored by stealth the remotest parts, of the Reservation, and entered and surveyed the most desirable lands of the region. They prepared the way for those patriots of the Revolution who came with their families to establish their future homes here, and to lay, ultimately, the foundation of one of the greatest States of the Union.


To preserve in book-form the history of the founding of Adams County and of the growth and development of its resources; to preserve for future generations the story of the lives of the pioneers and their descendants, that their virtues may be emulated and their achievements appreciated, is the intended mission of this volume. To what extent the Compilers have succeeded in the accomplishment of their designs, must be determined by the reader.


The volume is composed of four books :


A GENERAL HISTORY Or ADAMS COUNTY; THE TOWNSHIP HISTORIES; CHARACTER SKETCHES Or THE PIONEERS ; and, BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.


A feature of the volume is the very complete Index.


Grateful acknowledgment is hereby made to the public-spirited persons, both residents and non-residents of Adams County, who by their kindly offices greatly lightened the task of the Compilers in collecting and preserving the matter for this volume.

E. B. S.

N. W. E.

October 30, 1900.


(III)



TABLE OF CONTENTS


PART I.


HISTORY OF ADAMS COUNTY

CHAPTER I

Outline Sketch of Adams County

3

CHAPTER II

Geology and Mineralogy

10

CHAPTER III

The Mound Builders

20

CHAPTER IV

The Indians

28

CHAPTER V

The Virginia Military District

36

CHAPTER VI.

The Pioneers

50

CHAPTER VII

Conflicts and Adventures with the Indians

65

CHAPTER VIII

The Territorial Courts

77

vi - HISTORY OF ADAMS COUNTY

CHAPTER IX.

Early Courts

81

CHAPTER X

Organization of the Townships/p>

98

(vii) - Contents

CHAPTER XI.

Commissioners' Early Proceedings

104

CHAPTER XII

Public Roads and Highways

114

CHAPTER XIII

The Early Taverns and Old Inns

124

CHAPTER XIV

County Affairs

133

CHAPTER XV.

The Courts Under the Constitution*

168

CHAPTER XVI

Politics and Political Parties

234

CHAPTER XVII

Military History

330

CHAPTER XVIII

Miscellaneous

365

PART II

TOWNSHIP HISTORIES

Chapter I

BRATTON TOWNSHIP

413

CHAPTER II

FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP

415

Chapter III

GREEN TOWNSHIP

421

TABLE OF CONTENTS - vii

CHAPTER IV

JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP

428

CHAPTER V

LIBERTY TOWNSHIP

434

CHAPTER VI

MANCHESTER TOWNSHIP

437

CHAPTER VII

MEIGS TOWNSHIP

445

CHAPTER VIII

MONROE TOWNSHIP

449

CHAPTER IX

OLIVER TOWNSHIP

453

CHAPTER X

SCOTT TOWNSHIP

457

CHAPTER XI

SPRIGG TOWNSHIP

461

CHAPTER XI

TIFFIN TOWNSHIP

468

CHAPTER XII

WAYNE TOWNSHIP

485

CHAPTER XIII

WINCHESTER TOWNSHIP

492

PART III

PIONEER SKETCHES

501

576

627

PART IV

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

674

752

842

VIII - HISTORY OF ADAMS COUNTY

 

ILLUSTRATIONS

 

PORTRAITS.

PAGE.

Belli, Major John ............................................522

Bunn, Dr. James W .........................................750

Burgess, Rev. Dyer .........................................514

Campbell, Hon. Alexander...............................279

Campbell, Judge John W..................................301

Campbell, John ................................................534

Campbell, Joseph R...........................................712

Cockerill, Gen. Joseph R...................................311

Collings, Hon. George.......................................179

Collins, Rev. John..............................................606

Darlinton, Gen. Joseph.......................................251

Donalson, Israel....................................................66

Dobbins, Rev. Robert.........................................606

Dunbar, David ....................................................730

Edgington, Dr. Charles W...................................740

Ellison, William .................................................459

Enochs, Gen. William H.....................................326

Evans, George C .................................................217

Evans, Nelson W .............................................745

Evans, Edward P .............................................206

Hamilton, Robert .............................................913

Holmes, John.....................................................763

Hook, James N ..................................................459

Kirk, Albert D ....................................................485

Kirker, Gov. Thomas............................................82

Lafferty, Joseph W .............................................750

Lafferty, Dr. Nelson B.........................................750

Lodwick, Col. John .............................................581

Massie, Gen. Nathaniel .........................................51

Mason, Judge John W..........................................232

McCormick, Dr. George D..................................823

McCauslen, Hon. Thomas ...................................628

Meek, Rev. John ..................................................606

Meek, William M .................................................485

McDlll, Rev. David, D. D......................................821

McGovney, Crockett .............................................485

McSurely, Rev. William.........................................818

Miller. Dr. Flavius J................................................750

Murphy, Capt. David A...........................................312

Pollard, Hon. John K................................................273

Quarry, Rev. William P............................................459

Ramsey; Rev. William W ........................................485

Rothrock, Judge James H..........................................615

Russell, Hon. William ..............................................303

Shriver, Hon. Joseph A..............................................867

Sinton, David ...........................................................618

Smith, Hon. Andrew C..............................................293

Smith, Hon. Joseph P................................................855

Sparks, Charles S ......................................................865

Spring, Rev. John W..................................................881

Steen, Aaron .............................................................606

Steen, Rev. Moses D. A.............................................868

Stivers, Hon. Emmons B ...........................................854

Thomas, James Baldwin.............................................629

Thomas, James S ........................................................885

Truitt, Samuel B .........................................................437

Truitt, Mary ................................................................437

Van Dyke, Rev. John P...............................................459

Wamsley, William M..................................................654

Wykoff, Cyrus W .......................................................227

Wilson, Hon. John T...................................................318

Willson, Dr. William M..............................................437

Willson, Jerusha..........................................................437

VIEWS.

Bird's-eye View of West Union .................................470

County Jail .................................................................482

Court House ...............................................................136

Great Serpent Mound ...................................................24

Miller and Bunn Building, West Union......................780

Public School Building, Manchester ..........................442
Old Stone Court House, West Union, Frontispiece

Residence of Dr. James W. Bunn ...............................690

Residence of Dr. George F. Thomas .........................446

Residence of Dr. Flavius J. Miller .............................808

Residence of James H. Connor ..................................717

Rock Spring, West Union ............................................12

Scene on the Ohio .......................................................421

THE Scion Office, West Union ..................................479

The Old Treber Tavern, Lick Fork ..............................126

Twin Rocks, Cedar Fork ...............................................16

The Wilson Children's Home ........................................77