472 - Lee Township. CHAPTER XIV. Lee Township. LEE township, originally a part of Alexander, was Separately organized in November, 1819. Among the earliest Settlers here were Capt. John Martin, a revolutionary Soldier, Philip Smith, Henry Cassel, Ziba McVey, Daniel Knowlton, George Canny, John Holdren, William Brown, William Graham, Jacob Lentner, James McGonnegal, Francis Thomas, Samuel Luckey, Hiram Howlett, and John Doughty. The population of the township in 1820 was 342 ; in 1830 it was 418; in 1840 it was 848; in 18so it was 961; in 1860 it was 1,301. The inhabitants of Lee are principally engaged in agriculture, and her farmers rank among the best. Latterly they have given especial attention to the growing of fine Stock. The center of population in the township is Albany, a neat village and handsomely located. No community in the county has attended more earnestly to the cause of education than the citizens of Albany, and History of Athens County, Ohio - 473 they have several excellent local schools. The "Atwood institute," originally founded, and for a few years conducted, as a "manual labor School," is now controlled by the Free-will Baptists, and, under the management of the Rev. Mr. Chase, is proving a successful and useful School. It has at present three teachers— two male and one female—and about eighty scholars. All the branches usually taught in academies of this class are taught here. The colored people have a good School in Albany, conducted by capable teachers, and attended by young colored persons of both Sexes from distant parts of the State. They have a handsome School building, conspicuously located, which has been built mainly by the contributions of colored people, and the good management and complete success, thus far, of their enterprise, are highly creditable. The "district School," divided into an upper and lower department—the former Superintended by Mr. J. C. Woodyard, and the latter by Miss Mary L. Kerr—is also a well-managed and useful school. And, finally, there is a good public School for colored children. Albany also possesses an excellent public library, called the "Wells library." It was founded by Mr. Henry Wells, who, dying in 1860, bequeathed one thousand dollars for that purpose as a perpetual fund, the interest to be expended in books, and the further sum of two hundred and fifty dollar for an immediate purchase. The money was securely invested in 1861, 474 - Lee Township. by Mr. E. H. Moore, of Athens, whom Mr. Wells made his trustee for this purpose, and about seven hundred dollars worth of books have already been purchased by Mr. Leonard Brown, the purchasing committee. For Some time the library was kept in a room gratuitously furnished by the Free Masons of Albany, but in March, 1868, Mrs. Mary Weethee, mother of the founder of the library, bequeathed a frame building to be used as a library room, provided the town should keep it in repair and pay the taxes. The library, consisting now of about four hundred volumes, is a settled and very creditable institution. By the rules of the library any family, living within the corporation, may, for one dollar a year, draw out two volumes at a time for not more than four weeks, and the library is open two hours every Thursday for members. An interesting instance is thus afforded, of the great and perpetual good that may be accomplished by a very small sum well directed. Possibly the excellent example will incite others to similar action, and So its usefulness be indefinitely multiplied. Mr. Wells was a grandson of Hiram Howlett, one of the early settlers of Lee. The village of Albany is located on Sections two and three, and was laid out into lots by William Graham, in 1832 or 1833. The first house in the village was built by Lucius R. Beckley, on the ground now owned by Atkins & Stanly, and known as the old Brown store. In 1840 John Brown purchased this property History of Athens County, Ohio - 475 and commenced selling goods here. Albany has a population of about six hundred, with the usual complement of business men and mechanics. The Free Masons and Sons of Temperance have each a hall in the village. No liquor is Sold within the corporation. The town was incorporated in 1844. At the first election for town officers John V. Brown was chosen mayor, and J. M. Gorsline recorder. For a number of years afterward there was no election, but aince 1855 they have been held regularly. Town Officers of Albany since 1865. 1855.—Mayor, Albert Vorhes; Recorder, Henry Wells ; Treasurer, John Vorhes ; Councilmen, John Brown, J. M. Gorsline, Wm. Smith, Peter Morse, and David Sampson. 1856.--Mayor, Albert Vorhes ; Recorder, John Brown ; Treasurer, John Vorhes ; Councilmen, Wm. R. Collins, Peter Morse, W. W. Kurtz, J. M. Gorsline, and P. McCann. 1857.—Mayor, A. Palmer ; Recorder, J. E. Rutledge ; Treasurer, John Vorhes ; Councilmen, H. L. Graham, David Sampson, John Dewing, Wm. C. Lindley, and John Slaughter. 1858.—Mayor, Almus Lindley ; Recorder, J. E. Rutledge ; Treasurer, H. L. Graham ; Councilmen, John Dewing, Wm. C. Lindley, C. D. Lindley, A. Vorhes, and Chandler Rossetter. 1859.—Mayor, W. B. Dicksen ; Recorder, J. E. Rutledge ; Treasurer, H. L. Graham ; Councilmen, W. C. Lindley, John Slaughter, S. M. Preshaw, J. Q Mitchell, and Almus Lindley. 1860.—Mayor, S. M. Preshaw ; Recorder, W. A. Rigg ; Treasurer, H. L. Graham ; Councilmen, Almus Lindley, John Q Mitchell, John Brown, John Slaughter, and Albert Vorhes. 476 - Lee Township. 1861.—Mayor, John Brown ; Recorder, Thomas D. McGrath ; Treasurer, Albert Vorhes ; Councilmen, A. D. Jaynes, John Vorhes, C. L. Wilson, Wm. C. Lindley, and George Rice. 1862.—Mayor, James M. Gorsline ; Recorder, A. Palmer ; Treasurer, A. D. Jaynes ; Councilmen, John Brown, John Dewing, Almus Lindley, John Vorhes, and Leonard Brown. 1863.—Mayor, James M. Gorsline ; Recorder, A. Palmer ; Treasurer, A. D. Jaynes ; Councilmen, John Vorhes, John Q Mitchell, John Dewing, W. W. Kurtz, and T. D. Garvin. 1864.—Mayor, James M. Gorsline ; Recorder, Ira Graham ; Treasurer, T. D. McGrath ; Councilmen, Leonard Brown, John Vorhes, T. D. Garvin, John Dewing, and A. D. Jaynes. 1865.—Mayor, James M. Gorsline ; Recorder, Ira Graham ; Treasurer, T. D. McGrath ; Councilmen, Leonard Brown, John Vorhes, A. Palmer, John Dewing, and A. D. Jaynes. 1866.—Mayor, James M. Gorsline ; Recorder, Daniel N. Brown ; Treasurer, John Brown ; Councilmen, John Dewing, A. Vorhes, Wm. C. Lindley, Isaac Stanly, Jun., and A. Palmer. 1867.—Mayor, James M. Gorsline ; Re...order, Daniel N. Brown ; Treasurer, James D. Brown ; Councilmen, Wm. C. Lindley, Isaac Stanley, Jun., A. Vorhes, Leonard Brown, and James McClure. 1868.—Mayor, James M. Gorsline ; Recorder, Albert Lawson ; Treasurer, James D. Brown ; Councilmen, Wm. C. Lindley, James McClure, Leonard Brown, A. Vorhes, and W. W. Blake. Township Trustees. 1820 - Jacob Lentner, - James McGonnegal. - Ephraim Martin. 1821 - Francis Thomas, - ‘ - Elisha Chapman. 1822 - Ephraim Martin, - “ - Daniel Rowell. 1823 - Joseph Wallace, - Francis Thomas, - William Brown.  1824-27 - Ephraim Martin, - “ - James McGonnegal. 1828 - Samuel Martin, - “ - “ 1829-30 - James Magee, - George Reeves, - McCowen Bean. 1831 - Wm. Graham, - Wm. Thompson, - “ 1832 - Joseph Martin, - “ - John Havener. History of Athens County, Ohio - 477 TRUSTEES—Continued. 1833-35 - Wm. Graham, James McGonnegal. Joseph Martin 1836 - Joseph Post, - Wm Thompson, - Nimrod Dailey. 1837-40 - Wm. Graham, - Michael Canney, - “ 1841-42 - John T. Winn, Joseph Post, - Jacob Lentner. 1843-44 - Wm Graham, - Wm. Henderson, - “ 1845-46 - F. E. Clark, - A. G. Henderson, - James Greathouse. 1847 - “ - Travis Wilson, - “ 1848 - “ - John Brown, - George Holdren. 1849 - Andrew Means, John Dewing,- “ 1850 – F. E. Clark, D. M. Ross, A. W. Brown. 1851 - “ - Leonard Brown, - D. M. Ross, 1852 - James Holmes, - B. Goodrich, - John T. Winn 1853-54 - “ - A. Enlow, - “ 1855 - “ - Samuel Shuster, - “ 1856 - “ - Jacob McVey, - “ 1857 - “ - James Clements, - “ 1858 - “ - “ - Benjamin Rickey. 1859 - “ - “ - A. W. Brown. 1860 - “ - W. W. Kurtz, - “ 1861 - “ - A. Wilson, - “ 1862-63 - “ - A. Jennings, “ 1864 - “ - A. Wilson, - “ 1865 - “ - Wm. C. Lindley, Robert Dickson. 1866-67 - Lemuel Cline, - Jacob McVey, - “ 1868 - Albert Vorhes, “ - “ Justices of the Peace. 1820—Isaac Baker. 1822—Abner C. Martin. 1823—Isaac Baker. 1824—Joseph Wallace. 1825—McCowen Bean, Michael Canney, James McGee. 1828—Jacob Lentner. 1831—McCowen Bean and Abner C. Martin. 1832—Jacob Lentner. 1834—Abner C. Martin. 1835—Jacob Lentner. 1837—Abner C. Martin. 1838—John Dickson. 1839—Lucius Beckley. 1840—Abraham Enlow. 1841—A. Warner. 1842—John T. Winn. 478 - Lee Township. JUSTICES OF THE PEACE—Continued. 1843—George Means and Francis E. Clark. 1844—Edmund Morse. 1845—A. G. Henderson and Peter Morse. 1846—Francis E. Clark. 1847—George Holdren. 1849—D. M. Ross and Francis E. Clark. 1850—Joseph Post. 1852—James Clements and Francis E. Clark. 1853—Joseph Post. 1854—George Johnson. 1855—James Clements, John Brown and Jacob McVey. 1856—Harvey L. Graham. 1858—James Clements and Jacob McVey. 1859—Harvey L. Graham. 1860—Peter Morse. 1861—E. R. Cooper. 1862—James M. Gorsline. 1864—E. R. Cooper. 1865—James M. Gorsline. 1867—John Q Mitchell and Isaac Friedlein. 1868—Abraham Enlow. Biographical and Personal. John Holdren, now living in Lee township, was born in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, October 15, 1777, and came to Athens county in 1798 accompanied by another young man named John Konker. Soon after reaching Athens they took up land in the south part of Alexander township and made a temporary Settlement on the waters of Margaret's creek. Their neighbors, at intervals of several miles, were the Hanings, the Brooks family, Joseph Long, Esquire Merritt, and Henry History of Athens County, Ohio - 479 Cassel. Mr. Cassel built a grist mill Soon afterward in Lee township on the place now owned by William Minear. Mr. Holdren was engaged during six or seven years working at the Scioto Salt works at the site of the present town of Jackson, and " could then cut his six cords of wood in a day and help load it." He went out there the second year after salt was discovered by the whites. Previous to this the Indians had produced scanty supplies of salt by drilling holes into the rocks fifteen or eighteen inches deep, when the cavity would gradually fill up with the brinish water which, evaporated by the heat of the Sun, would produce salt. The whites bored wells to Some depth, built furnaces, and for many years furnished Sslt for the surrounding settlements to the distance of Seventy-five or eighty miles. Mr. Holdren settled permanently in Lee township in 1820. His nearest neighbors were James McGonnegal, Israel Bobo, and George Canney, and soon afterward came David Doughty, James Luckey, Thomas Jones, John Havner, John and Ephraim Martin, Daniel Knowlton, Jacob Lentner, and the Robinetts. When a young man Mr. Holdren was a successful hunter. He and John Jones (a brother-in-law of Judge Isaac Barker), killed forty-Six bears in six weeks' hunting on the head waters of Sunday, Monday, and Rurh creeks. They sometimes killed in a fall season forty to fifty deer for their winter's stock of provisions and turkeys beyond count. Mr. Holdren once 480 - Lee Township. killed four deer in one day, and he and two of his boys in a hunt of two weeks killed thirty. On one hunting expedition, having shot and wounded a large black bear, his dog ran in to Seize the animal, but bruin, though hurt, was full of life, and was making quick work of the dog when Holdren rushed in, knife in hand, to finish him. The bear released the dog and Sprang on the man, at the first dash tearing his large blanket entirely from his body ; Holdren plunged his knife hilt deep into the animal and then turned to run. He made his escape, but says it was the narrowest he ever had. The bear got away. At that time the skins of bears brought from three to five dollars each, and good hunters often made it profitable. Mr. Holdren served in the war of 1812. Among those who entered the army at that time he remembers Barnet Brice, John Wood, Reuben Reeves, David Vaughn, Ira Foster, Joel Stroud, Jehiel Gregory, Nehemiah Gregory, and William McNichol. Mr. Holdren is the oldest person in the county, being now ninety-one years old. He and his aged wife live with a married daughter on a comfortable farm about two miles from Albany, and the old man, aided by a staff in each hand, Sometimes walks to the village.