CHAPTER VII
HARRISON TOWNSHIP
The erection of this township took place June 15, 1810, by order of the Board of County Commissioners of Pickaway County. Its territory was previously included in the townships of Madison and Walnut. It is bounded on the north by Franklin County and a portion of Madison township and on the east by Madison and Walnut townships. The Scioto River and Walnut Creek form its south-and and western boundaries. The latter stream divides it from Walnut township.
At the time when the first white settlers came here, these streams contained untold quantities of fish, which were captured in almost incredible numbers by means of primitive seines, made of grapevines and brush. Extensive levees or breakwaters along these streams, especially along the Scioto River, have been built so as to protect the rich bottom lands from inundation by flood and the wearing effects of the current. A number of extensive and disastrous floods are on record; the earliest of which we have any account being those of 1805 and 1814. In the former year the entire section between the Scioto River and Walnut Creek, south of South Bloomfield, was under water.
At the period of its settlement, the greater portion of the township was covered with a heavy growth of timber, consisting of oak, ash, elm, hickory and honey locust, with many black walnut and maple trees along the banks of the streams. North and south of South Bloomfield there was a section without forest growth known as plain land. As this was ready for immediate cultivation, it was the land first settled. Where it was necessary to remove the timber, the trees were cut down and split into rails or the logs were rolled into great heaps and burned. When the first sawmills were put into operation, a portion of the timber removed was utilized in manufacturing lumber for local purposes. The township as a whole is quite level, with sufficient incline to carry off the surplus water. The soil in the bottoms along the streams is a loam, with a mixture of sand and gravel in places, while that back from the river is chiefly clay. There are a few hills along the river and creeks, but none of great elevation.
Upon the erection of the township, an election was ordered to be held on the 23rd of June, 1810, at the house of Hugh Creighton, who became one of the first justices of the peace. James Denny was also an early justice of the peace, probably .the first one elected. All the early records of the township are either lost or destroyed. In 1861 the trustees bought a frame building on Main street in South Bloomfield for use as a town house. About nine years later this was sold and a room in the hotel used until 1878, when a small storeroom on the opposite side of the street from the hotel was purchased for use as a town house. The population of the township in 1900 was 1,826. The township officers for 1906 are as follows: Trustees--S. C. Allison, T. P. Pierce and Fred Palm ; clerk, Ward B. Powell; treasurer, D. H. Ebert; assessor, Conrad Wiegand; justices of the peace--George G. Brintlinger and
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George C. Eversole ; constables--Sylvanus Smith and William F. Wilson.
EARLY SETTLERS.
The first tracts of land settled in Harrison township were located on the Walnut Plains, in the vicinity of South Bloomfield, where no clearing operations were necessary to prepare the land for cultivation. While the township, as a part of the Congress lands, was not open for settlement until 1801, there were a few squatters, attracted by the favorable features of the plains, who settled here as early as 1798 or 1799 and made improvements, which entitled them to first choice at the government sales.
The first arrivals were James Short and his son, Stephen, who came from Delaware in 1798 and squatted on the Walnut Plains, a short distance below the present town of South Bloomfield, where they planted the first crops raised in the township. James Short, in 1799, sowed the first field of wheat in the township on land owned by Adam Millar. When it was ready to be harvested, neighboring settlers, who had in the meanwhile located here, assisted in cutting it. Most of the wheat was saved as seed. When the land was offered for sale by the government, in 1801, Mr. Short bought section 15 and fractional section 16, the most of which was plain land. To him was given the credit of setting out the first orchard, in 1799 or 1800, and of building the first frame dwelling in the township, in 1812. John Robinson came at the same time as the Shorts and married a daughter of James Short.
William Millar, who came here from Virginia in 1798, was the next settler after James Short but he did not make a permanent settlement until 1799, when he located with his family in the southern part of the present township of Harrison, near the junction of the Scioto River and Walnut Creek. In 1801 he purchased section 23; lying partly in Walnut and partly in Harrison, and fractional section 22, in Harrison In 1816 he built the first brick building in Harrison township.
Benjamin Duvall came to Harrison township from Bedford County, Pennsylvania, about 1798, when 19 years of age. After working for James and Stephen Short several years, he settled near South Bloomfield. He was in the War of 1812 for a time and on his return settled in section 30, Madison township, where he lived some 30 years, afterward returning to Harrison township, where he lived five years, removing then to Shadeville, Ohio, where his death occurred.
Jonathan Holmes came to Ohio as early as 1798 and located in Harrison township as one of the first settlers. When the opportunity to purchase land arrived, he bought a farm in section 22. The first tavern in the township, located about three miles north of South Bloomfield and known as the Half Way House, was kept by Mr. Holmes in 1803 or 1804. He married a daughter of James Short and died soon after 1804; his widow married Samuel Denny.
David Denny, a Virginian, came here in 1800 and bought section 10 and fractional section 9. His brother, James, located. here in 1806 and another brother came about the same time. Daniel Van Sickle, a miller by occupation, came here as early as 1800 and worked in Stephen Short's mill near Ashville, afterwards working in Foresman's mill on the Big Walnut. The same year James Neville, an Irishman, came to Ohio and at the first sale of land purchased the north half of section 27 and fractional 28. Joseph Mackey came into Harrison township about the same time as Neville and bought the south half of section 27; it is thought that he also purchased, from Neville, fractional section 28, as the ford across the Scioto from this land became known as Mackey's ford. Joseph Bogert came to Harrison township about 1800 and lived a number of years in South Bloomfield. John Martin came here from Virginia in 1801 and purchased the north half of section 22, where he settled.
The Renicks, from Virginia, established themselves in this township in 1803. George Renick became a resident of Chillicothe as early as 1798. In 1801 he entered land in Harrison
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township, in partnership with his brothers, William and Thomas. The land he entered for himself and Thomas included section 15, fractional sections 16 and 21 and a part of section 22; when the property was divided, he took the southern portion. With 'his brother William he entered Sec. 3, fractional Sec. 4 and parts of Secs. 9 and 10, and upon the subsequent division of the property he took the southern part. He never took up his residence here, continuing to live in Ross County. His brothers, with their families, came to Harrison township in 1803 and settled on the land that had been entered by George. Thomas Renick and his wife died on the same clay about a year from the date of their settlement. William Renick cleared 10 acres of land in the river bottom in 1804, and the following year planted it in corn. The great flood of 1805 utterly ruined his crop, every hill of corn and the soil in which it grew being washed out. In the fall, though much discouraged with the prospect, he put 20 acres of plain land in wheat, which turned out well and convinced him that the plains were good land.
Joshua Burget and his sons, Joshua, Joseph and George, settled here before 1804. William Bennett, an early justice of the peace, came into the township about the same time. William Ront and Joshua Hedges, from Virginia, and Philip Cherry and his brother James became residents of the township in 1804, while Isaac Snyder settled here about the same time. Philip Cherry had a blacksmith shop a mile and a half north of South Bloomfield as early as 18o6. Mrs. Lucinda Pratt, with four children, and John Champ came here in 1809; Jacob Hott and Aaron Dean, about 181o; John Byerly and George Hoover, about 1811; and Philip Gatewood, William Evans and a man named Van Gundy, a miller by occupation, about 1812.
John Cochran, then an ensign in the 19th Regiment of infantry, came to Pickaway County, in 1812, as a recruiting officer for the army, having his recruiting office at Franklinton (Columbus). At the close of the war, in 1815, when he held a commission as 2nd lieutenant in the 17th Regiment, he came to Harrison township, purchased land and married Mary O'Harra. Colonel Cochran was commander of a regiment of militia for a number of years. He was a Whig in politics and served in the State Legislature, in 1818, 1831, 1832, 1835, 1836 and 1850. He died in 1878 at the age of 88 years.
Joseph O'Harra, whose daughter Mary be-came the wife of Col. John Cochran, settled, in 1812, at Franklinton, where he kept a tavern. After the War of 1812 he moved to Harrison township and settled in section 27.
Thomas Vause emigrated from Virginia about 1814 and first settled in Champaign County, Ohio. About 1823 he bought land in Franklin and Pickaway Counties and settled at Lockbourne, where he died in 1852. David Adkins and Benjamin Whitehead came to Harrison township about 1826; Stephen Simmons, in 1834; Dr. J. C. Thompson, in 1837; and B. G. Pontious, about 184o. Philip Swisher. Charles McDaniel, Elijah Wright, Dr. Burrell, Enos Cutler, Simon Hadley, Jacob Stage, Abner Briggs and Jonathan Blue were also early settlers in Harrison township, some of them coming here in the early days of the settlement.
SOME EARLY EVENTS.
The first marriage in the township that can. be recalled was that of John Lewin and Salome Clutter, both of whom came from Virginia with William Renick. They were married in 1810 by Squire James Denny. Sometime during the year 1807, Michael Miller, of Harrison township, and John Davis, from near Columbus, took a boatload of pork from below Chillicothe to New Orleans by river, returning on horseback. The first shoemaker in the township, was William Barr, who moved into the house left vacant by William Millar, when the latter first occupied his brick house in 1816. The first tanyard in the eastern part of the township was established by James Bradon, an Irishman. The first mail route through South Bloomfield was established prior to 1812; at first the mail was carried by postboys, who made the trip from Chillicothe to Franklin-
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ton on horseback, and later by the stage-coaches. The Ohio Canal, from Cleveland to the Ohio River, was built through Harrison township in the 'years between 1825 and 1830, in the prosecution of which work employment was given to many of the people then living there. Colonel Cochran had a contract for work on the canal during these years.
EARLY. MILLS AND DISTILLERIES.
Simon Headley built a grist-mill near the site of the South Bloomfield bridge about 1803. He sold it a few years later to Mr. Van Gundy, who continued it some years. It afterwards went to decay. At the time the mill was running, a ferry was established above the mill dam, by which people on the west bank of the river could cross to the mill with their corn or wheat, and return with the flour it produced. About 1809 James Short owned a saw and gristmill on Walnut Creek, near Ashville, and about the same period Mr. Shafer built a horse-mill in the eastern part of the township for grinding corn--he also operated a tanyard on his property. James Short, in 1804, built a still-house a short distance below South Bloomfield on the east side of the turnpike. In 1812 a distillery was built by William Stage, near Ashville, and in the same locality, about the same period, Richard Stage also had one.
CHURCHES.
The first church in Harrison township was organized in 1814 by Rev. William Jones, a Presbyterian minister, who conducted the first services about 1812. Mr. Jones left a few years later and the organization dwindled and finally died out.
South Bloomfield M. E. Church.--Soon after 1833 Methodist meetings were. held at the house of Daniel Millar at South Bloomfield by traveling preachers. At the time of the organization of the church, about 1835, there were some to members living here. The first circuit preachers were Revs. Hamilton and Poe, who were followed by Revs. White and Stephenson. The circuit, which was known as the Pickaway Circuit, was later styled as the Franklinton Circuit. The church is now in the South Bloomfield Circuit. The first church edifice, one of brick, was built in 1837, at a cost of $1,500, on lots given for the purpose by William Renick. As this structure finally proved too small and inconvenient, it was replaced with a brick building, erected in 1877, the funds for which were raised by subscription. This building is valued at $2,500. A parsonage was built in 1905 at a cost of $1,500. The present membership of the church is about l00. Rev. W. A. Whitman is pastor. Mrs. C. M. Gusman is superintendent of the Sunday-school, which has a membership of about t00.
Asbury Chapel, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, was organized in a log schoolhouse, located about a mile north of the present location of the chapel, in the eastern part of Harrison township. about 1835. Class meetings prior to this date had been held at private houses. Stephen Simmons, who was the first class leader, was mainly instrumental in the organization of the society. Revs. Jacob Young and John Lewis were the first preachers. Meetings were held in the schoolhouse until 1851, when a frame structure was erected, which was dedicated to Asbury Chapel in 1852. The land was given by Enos Cutler. A commodious and neat brick church was built on the same lot in the south part of section 25, in 1875, at a cost of about $3,000, and was dedicated in the spring of 1876. When built, the church was under the ministration of Rev. H. B. Westervelt. Asbury Chapel is in the South Bloomfield Circuit; the present pastor is Rev. W. A. Whitman, of South Bloomfield. The membership is about 50. The Sunday-school, of which Timothy Pierce is superintendent, also has a membership of about 50.
The Ashville M. E. Church was organized some 15 or 20 years ago. The present frame church structure was erected in 1890 at a cost of about $4,000. The parsonage, a two-story frame structure, is valued at $2,500. The church has a membership of about 200. The first pastor was Rev. A. F. Hixson, who was
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followed by Revs. L. H. Binkley, Frank Gillilan, B. F. Jackson, C. M. Prior, F. M. Evans, F. R. Crooks, and C. E. Hill, the present incumbent, who succeeded Mr. Crooks in September, 1906. The Sunday-school, of which Prof. Stanley Lawrence is superintendent, has a membership of about too. The Ashville Circuit, of which the Ashville church is an appointment, has two other appointments, both in Walnut township, namely : Hedges Chapel and East Union M. E. Church.
Ashville U. B. Church.--A church of the United Brethren in Christ was organized in the eastern part of Harrison township about 1840. Meetings were at first held in a school-house until a church edifice was erected on section 6, soon after 1850. One of the first preachers was Rev. William Davis, as was Bishop Edwards also. Upon its organization, the church was named Rehoboth U. B. Church, which name it bore until the church was re-moved to Ashville soon after the formation of the town, when the name was changed to Ashville U. B. Church. The church edifice of the society now standing in Ashville was originally built on the old site in section 6; upon being removed to its present site, it was rebuilt. It cost about $2,000. A neat parsonage adjoins the church. The pastors since 1875 have been the following: Revs. Joseph Hoffhines, William Fisher, Daniel Bonebrake, Joseph W. Davis (during whose pastorate the change in the location of the church was made), A. L. Moore, F. Reibel, William Brown, Emanuel Hoffman, Perry L. Hinton, Andrew J. Wagner, Kurtz, Davis, R. A. Hitt, Juspan and W. E. Rowe, the present incumbent. The Ashville Circuit includes, in addition to the Ashville church, two other classes--Scioto Chapel; in Scioto township, and Mount Hermon U. B. Church in Walnut township. The Ashville church has a present membership of 125. The Sunday-school, which is under the superintendence of W. W. Kraft, has an average attendance of about 90.
The Ashville Evangelical Lutheran Church was organized by Rev. D. E. Snapp in 1887, in which year the church edifice on Long street was erected at a cost of $2,500. Besides theaudience room, there is a lecture room on the south and a pastor's study in the rear, added about 1895. For a year or two before the church was built, the Lutherans of Ashville and vicinity had held meetings in a hall, which resulted in the formation of the church society. The pastors of the church since Rev. D. E. Snapp have been : Revs. Kuhns, McCreery and J. J. S. Rumbarger. Since the last named, who is now located near Zanesville, completed his pastorate, the church has been without a settled pastor. Rev. J. M. Wenrich, of Stoutsville, has supplied the pulpit for the past three years; A. J. Holl, a student in the seminary at Chicago, filled the pulpit in the summer of 1906. The church has 65 confirmed members. The Sunday-school, of which G. A. Hook is superintendent, has an enrollment of 90 and an average attendance of 45. The parsonage property is worth about $1,800. The church belongs to the Evangelical Lutheran District Synod of Ohio.
HARRISON TOWNSHIP CEMETERY.
James Short furnished the first ground for burial purposes, south of South Bloomfield ; to this tract William Millar added two acres in 1850. In later years the cemetery was still further increased in size. It is now under the control of the township trustees and gives every indication of being well cared for. Many very old gravestones are to be found here some of which are so badly defaced by the action of the elements that the inscriptions are scarcely legible. Probably the oldest stone is that placed to mark the grave of Sarah Holmes, daughter of Jonathan and Rachel Holmes, who died in October, 1801, aged two years and five months.
SCHOOLS.
The first schoolhouse, a log structure, was built in the eastern part of the town of South Bloomfield, in 1808. It conformed, in its general features, to the general type of primitive, log schoolhouses that were built elsewhere in the county in the period of its settlement. In
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one end of the building was the door, while in the other was the massive fireplace, which extended the full width of the room and was fed with large logs, which were rolled in by means of handspikes, or drawn in by a horse. A log was cut out on each side of the building and strips of wood were tacked across the space thus made, forming a kind of lattice-work. Over these sticks oiled paper was fastened, which furnished the necessary light. Dr. Samuel Taylor was the first teacher in this school-house; he was followed by a Mr. Williams. The first frame schoolhouse was built on land owned by Adam Millar, in 1817, by William Millar, William Renick and Stephen Short. This school was taught by Joseph Olds and was supported by subscriptions.
The township has seven schools, including the one at Ashville. The Board of Education of Harrison township, elected in November, 1904, is constituted as follows : F. B. Peters, F. S. Baum and J. W. Hedges--four years; Henry Shannon and Edward E. Runkle--two years. J. W. Hedges is clerk of the board.
The South Bloomfield Special School District has a brick school building of three rooms which was built in the '50's and is still in excellent condition. It is valued at $4,000. J. M. Ater is principal, being assisted by Loutie Browne and Ida Calder. The total enrollment is Too. The high school department provides a three-years course of study and is rated as a third-grade school. The Board of Education of this district, as elected in November, 1904, is as follows : William Millar, Sherman L. Rasor and Edward Roese--four years ; Walter Rayman and Fred Roese--two years. Henry Roese is clerk of the board.
The Ashville village District has the following Board of Education, elected in November, 1904:. Chester B. Hedges, William M. Miller and S. D. Fridley--four years; Dr. R. A. Postle and J. W. Snyder--two years. Ward B. Powell is clerk. In 1902 a new brick school building, furnace-heated, was erected at Ashville at a cost of $14,000, taking the place of a four-room brick structure which had been in service a long term of years. Five rooms are devoted to grade work and two to high school purposes. The high school is conducted jointly by the boards of education of Harrison and Walnut townships and the Ashville Village District, acting through a committee of nine--three from each board--of which committee William M. Miller is chairman, as well as being president of the Ashville Board of Education. Prof. Stanley Lawrence is superintendent of the High School.
SOCIETIES.
Pickaway Lodge, No. 747, I. O. O. F., is 20 years old, having been instituted in 1886. It has grown steadily and has a present membership of nearly 100. The lodge owns the Odd Fellows Building, corner of Long and Bortz streets. The auxiliary organization, Linden Rebekah Lodge, was instituted six or seven years later than Ashville Lodge.
Palmetto Lodge, No. 513, K. of P., at Ashville, was instituted October 21, 1891, with 34 charter members. The lodge has at the present time a membership of about 100 and owns the building in which it meets, having purchased it recently. Frank Dumm is chancellor commander and Dr. H. J. Bond, keeper of records and seals.
Ashville Camp, No. 4,635, M. W. of A., has been established since February 15, 1897, and has a present membership of about 65.
A tent of the Knights of the Maccabees, No. 56o, was organized at Ashville a little over a year ago. There are now about 30 members.
Ashville Lodge, No. 3,005, K. of H., was instituted September 25, 1883, with 16 charter members. It has a small membership.
Morral Post, No. 167, G. A. R., was instituted as Morrison Post on December 2, 1881, with 25 charter members. Some years afterward the present name of the post was substituted. By 1888 the membership reached the highwater mark of 101 and then began to decline, deaths and removals rapidly depleting the post. There are now 16 members. McIlvaine Graffis is post commander and Lewis Stoltz; adjutant.
Morral Women's Relief Corps, No. 112,
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was instituted with 27 charter members on December 29, 1885, as Morrison Relief Corps. The present name of the corps was adopted some years later. The membership is about 15. Mrs. Lettie Oliver is president and Mrs. Annie Finney, secretary.
Ashville Lodge, No. 490, I. O. G. T., was instituted September 29, 1892, with 21 charter members; four years later, November 16, 1896, the lodge surrendered its charter.
For a period of some years, a branch of the Knights & Ladies of Honor, Union Lodge, No. 1795, flourished in Ashville. It is now no longer in existence.
Ashville has a strong and aggressive organization of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union ; Mrs. Lucy Kline is president of the local union. South Bloomfield also has a union, of which Mrs. Elizabeth Ater is president.
PHYSICIANS.
Dr. J. C. Thompson was one of the earliest physicians of Harrison township. He located at South Bloomfield about 1837 and practiced his profession with great skill for over 50 years, until his death January 7, 1889, lacking two days of being 78 years old. His name stands high among the members of the medical profession in Pickaway County and the State.
Drs. H. B. Smith and A. C. Kinnear also practiced at South Bloomfield. Dr. Charles E. Blacker was also located here .for many years.
Dr. Charles Steward is the dean of the medical profession at Ashville, his period of practice covering 30 years--practically the whole life of the town. In addition to his practice, he conducts a drug store and is the proprietor of the Opera House. Dr. Rowland A. Postle located in Ashville in 1891 ; Dr. William H. Silbaugh, in 1897; and Dr. George R. Gardner, in November, 1901. Ashville alone has a dentist--Dr. Harry J. Bond, who has practiced his profession here with good success since 1895.
BANKS.
The Citizens' Bank of Ashville was organized in 1894. The original capitalization, $25,000, was increased to $75,000 in January, 1906. The deposits aggregate $250,000. The directors of the hank are as follows : James Ward, Sidner J. Ward, Thaddeus E. Cromley, T. W. Baum and William M. Miller. James Ward is president; T. W. Baum, vice-president; and William M. Miller, Cashier. The last named has been cashier of the bank ever since it was founded. James H. Valentine was president for the first two years of the Bank's existence, being succeeded by James Ward, who had been vice-president.
The Ashville Banking Company established the second bank at Ashville, which was incorporated June 22, 1906, with a capital stock of $50,000, of which $25,000 was paid up. The bank, which is located on Main street, was opened for business on August 23rd. The directors are : F. J. Peters, Samuel Hall, William M. Wright, James H. Valentine, J. A. Baum, Irin F. Snyder, R. G. Peters, James. M. Borror and E. A. Snyder. The president is F. J. Peters ; vice-president, Samuel Hall; and cashier, E. A. Snyder.
ASHVILLE.
The land upon which Ashville is located was at an early day the property of Richard Stage, who started a small distillery here, which he operated for many years, finally selling it to Mahlon Ashbrook. Mr. Ashbrook increased its capacity and did a large business. In connection with it, he built a grist mill on Walnut Creek, about 1845, and owned a large store for the time and locality. He finally failed in business. James Short, of Circleville, was in business with him for some time. The store was closed about 1855, but the distillery was run by other parties for a few years, when it, too, was closed.
Very little business was clone at Ashville from the time of the closing of the distillery until 1874, when the building of the Scioto Valley Railroad (now the Norfolk & Western) through the length of Harrison township gave a new impetus to business. The depot of the road was located at Ashville in the following year, as was the postoffice, with George C. Morrison as the first postmaster.
Among the early business men were: Ed-
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ward Soper, who kept a general store on Main street for a number of years, dating from the early '70's; George C. Morrison, who conducted a general store for many years and also served as postmaster for a considerable period; Samuel W. Miller, who was in business here for nine years; Robert Hughes, who operated the elevator now conducted by Teegardin & Taylor; Joseph Hedges, who had the lumber-yard now run by Edward W. Hedges; John Messick, William Ward and Peter Arnold, who had blacksmith shops ; E. Manges, dealer in boots and shoes ; Ezra Shuemaker, tinner; Z. T. Baker, harness maker; and Henry ,Cromley, boarding house and livery.
Ashville was incorporated as a village in the spring of 188o, the first mayor being W. R. Julian, who later became a resident of Columbus. J. W. Shuemaker was the first marshal and D. E. Julian, the first clerk. Mayor Julian was followed by--Dr. Charles Stewart, W. H. Fortner, S. D. Fridley, William At Miller, A. S. Longenbaugh, E. S. Hickman, G. A, Hook and Emmett E. Fraunfelter, the present incumbent. The following are the present village officials : Mayor, Emmett E. Fraunfelter; clerk, Ward B. Powell; treasurer, Dr. H. J. Bond; marshal, Seymour Shook; Council--Enos Longenbaugh, A. C. Nothstine, Oscar Ward, Frank H. Hott, Stephen E. Selig and Christian C. Foor. The village has a first-class fire department, which is now operating under a new system, introduced some four or five months ago, by which the members, consisting of a chief, 1st and 2nd assistant chiefs, three firemen and three substitutes, are paid for the time consumed in practice and in attending fires. This system gives every indication of proving an entire success. About 1890, when a volunteer fire department was established, a Howe fire engine and hose were purchased at a cost of $600, and cisterns throughout the town were built a .few years later. Recently a chemical engine was added to the equipment. On account of its favorable location and the energy of its citizens, Ashville is steadily growing and expanding. The population in 1890 was 430, in 1900, 654; and in 1906 a population of at least 800 is claimed. Willis E. Payne is postmaster and Marcus W. Payne, assistant postmaster. One hundred and forty-four square miles of territory are served by the four rural routes running from Ashville. The Scioto Valley traction line was built through Ashville in 1903.
The sweet corn canning factory of the Scioto Canning Company, of Circleville, was built at Ashville in the spring of 1899 and has been in operation during every subsequent sea-son, giving employment to many hands and contributing in no small degree to the prosperity and well-being of Ashville and the vicinity. The sweet corn canning season lasts about 40 days and during this period about 540 hands are employed. The daily capacity of the plant is 200,000 cans; and the annual output is about 200,000 cases. Not so much corn is being canned this year as previously, as the market has been over-stocked for the last two years. The corn used is raised by the farmers of the vicinity on contract, the company furnishing the seed. The company also has 655 acres of its own in corn. The company manufactures its own cans and runs the plant over Too days to get the required quantity ready for the canning season, having "a capacity for making 5o.000 cans a day. Judge Festus Walters has . been. president of the company from the date of its organization, January 30, 1899. Wayne Caldwell, who at first was vice-president, is now treasurer; S. P. Deeds has continued to hold the office of secretary; James Reichelderfer was the first treasurer and Milton Morris is the present vice-president.
Ashville has two grain elevators, which do a large business, also dealing in coal, cement, lime, fertilizers and seed. The oldest of these elevators was built in 1875 by William Morris and a Mr. Keyes, who sold it to Ezra Hughes, who in turn disposed of it to Robert Hughes. . The last named conducted it many years. It finally came into the possession of Rockey & Teegardin, was later run by Ward & Teegardin until four years ago, when G. P. Teegardin took it and operated it alone until July
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PAGE 130 - PICTURES: (VIEW ON LONG STREET, ASHVILLE; UNITED BRETHREN CHURCH, ASHVILLE; ASHVILLE HIGH SCHOOL AND SCIOTO VALLEY TRACTION COMPANY'S, ASHVILLE.
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1, 1906, when D. F. Taylor was admitted to partnership under the firm name of Teegardin & Taylor. The elevator was burned about May, 1900, and was rebuilt. It has a capacity for storing 26,000 bushels of corn and 6,000 bushels of wheat. From 250,000 to 300,000 bushels of grain are handled annually.
The elevator of C. E. Groce, of Circleville, was built by him about six years ago. Its capacity is 30,000 bushels. Flour is also handled.
Between Ashville and South Bloomfield is located the Ashville mill, which has a daily capacity of 50 barrels and is operated by Edward Campbell. This mill was built in 1833 by William Foresman, who conducted it many years, disposing of it in 1879 to Samuel Campbell. Lewis C. Hoover has a sawmill in operation at Ashville. Samuel M. Lewis, of Circleville, has a brick-yard here and also manufactures cement blocks.
The commercial interests of Ashville are further represented by the following business houses : George A. Hook, Hoffhines & Hoover and Smith & Hickle, general merchandise; Dr. D. H. Squire & Son, general merchandise and drugs; Edward E. Runkle and S. D. Fridley, groceries; Ebert & Bowers, groceries and boots and shoes ; Markley Brothers, meats ; the Hott and Cottage bakeries ; Dr. Charles Steward, drugs; Clyde Brinker, confectionery; Charles Strauss, shoe shop; John C. Welton, pianos and organs; G. W. Jennings, millinery and wallpaper ; G. H. Kraft & Son and Peters & Brinker, hardware, agricultural implements, carriages and harness; Joseph R. Hedges and S. C. Allison, agricultural implements, carriages and harness ; Frank Klouse, photographer; Charles E. Blakely, undertaker; John Roese and William C. Hoover, tinners; Longenbaugh & Purcell and Harry M. Black, blacksmiths; J. S. Roof, wire fencing and plumbing ; Edward W. Hedges, lumber ; Lane Brothers and Christian C. Foor, livery; and Conrad Dolby, feed barn. The Ashville Hotel, which has been conducted by Christian C. Foor since 1904, is a two-story brick building, erected in 1880. Steward's Opera House, a neat two-story brick, 40 by 8o feet in dimensions, was erected in 1886 by Dr. Charles Steward; it has a seating capacity of 500. The Odd Fellows' Building--a three-story structure--was erected in 1889 by J. P. Rockey. In 1893 were built the Citizens' bank and the Valentine Block. The town has one lawyer W. Morrison ; four physicians--Drs. Charles Steward, Rowland A. Postle, William Silbaugh and George R. Gardner; and one dentist--Dr. Harry J. Bond.
Ashville has one newspaper, the Home News, a weekly, with a circulation of 500, which is owned and edited by R. W. Kraft.. It is the successor of a number of enterprises that have occupied the newspaper field. The Enterprise, the first venture, which issued its first number on December 21, 1882, was a 4 page, 7 column weekly. It was consolidated on October 23, 1896, with the Recorder, a 4-page, 5-column newspaper, whose first number had been issued on October 2, 1896, and which was then owned by J. W. & W. E. Shuemaker; at the time of consolidation Emmett E. Fraunfelter was the owner of the Enterprise. The new publication, known as the Enterprise-Recorder--a 4-page, 7-column sheet--was published by the Ashville Printing Company about-one year. The Advocate, under Emmett E. Fraunfelter, succeeded the Enterprise-Recorder, and continued until about November 1, 1904. About 1898 a man named Stoltz established the Pickaway County News at Ashville, which ran for six years. In February, 1904, S. D. Fridley purchased the Pickaway County News and changed the name to Home News. On November 1, 1904, Messrs. Fraunfelter and Fridley combined their offices; the Advocate was discontinued and the Home News was issued by the partners until November 1, 1905, when the partnership was dissolved: Emmett E. Fraunfelter then purchased the job department, and on December 1, 1905, R. W. Kraft purchased the newspaper.
SOUTH BLOOMFIELD
Has a history that spans a period of over 100 years. The town was laid out in 1803 by David Denny, who employed Gen. James
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Denny, later of Circleville, to make the survey. The plat embraced 40 acres of land in the southeast part of section 10 and was divided into 80 lots. The hopes of its founder, that South Bloomfield would become the county seat, failed of realization. During the early years of its history it was a place of some importance, being on the regular line of the stage-coaches, running between Chillicothe and Columbus. With the withdrawal of the stage coaches, the town subsided into a fairly quiet existence. It has lacked adequate transportation facilities; the Ohio Canal was built a mile to the east, and the Norfolk & Western steam road and the Scioto Valley traction line were constructed two miles to the east.
The first store in South Bloomfield was opened soon after 1804 by Hugh Creighton, an early justice of the peace, who also kept a tavern here in the year mentioned. William and John Bradshaw started the second store, in which the first postoffice was kept. It was established about 1810 and it is thought that William Bradshaw was the first postmaster. The mail route through the town was established previous to 1812. Henry Nevill, who laid out the town of Jefferson in Pickaway township, started a branch store in South Bloomfield at an early date. George Donaldson established the first blacksmith shop here in 180; John Motherspaw was another early blacksmith. Col. John Cochran built a store here after the War of 1812 and conducted it many years.
The town was incorporated. by special act of the Legislature in 1833. Its first officers were : President, Thomas Burrell ; clerk, Henry N. Hedges, Jr.; treasurer, John Cochran ; marshal, Samuel Goreley. The present officers are : Mayor, Robert S. Thompson ; clerk, Herman Peters; treasurer, Henry Roese; marshal, Charles Cook ; Council--W. R. Brady, John Jones, John H. Roese, F. E. Bezold, Willis Green and one vacancy. George T. Thompson is postmaster. The town has both the Bell and the Citizens' 'phones and is lighted by seven patent gasoline lights. The population of the village in 1900 was 223.
The business of South Bloomfield is conducted by the following persons : R. S. Thompson & Son, Chris. Roof and F. E. Bezold, general merchandise; M. W. O'Day and William R. Brady, groceries; Ed. Mithoff, meats; Daniel F. Bock, shoemaker; Milton Croman, shoemaker and harness and leather worker ; Jack son Gusman, Jonathan Gusman and Charles Cook, blacksmiths; Henry Roese, undertaker; N. L. Darling, veterinary surgeon; and Strade Brothers, feed stable.
MILLPORT,
Located on the Ohio Canal between Ashville and South Bloomfield, is a small settlement of some 20 or 25 families that has seen its best days, which were during the period when the Ohio Canal was an important means of transportation. As early as 1810 Stephen Short erected a distillery and a mill at this place. The town was laid out in lots about 1837 by Richard Stage, who erected a number of dwellings and established a pork-packing business, which flourished for some years. He also set up his son-in-law, Francis S. Burt, in business. About 1850 a warehouse was built near the canal, for the purpose of receiving and storing grain; a small grocery was established in the building to furnish supplies for canal men. At the present time Millport has three groceries, run, respectively, by Ed. Toole, John Burton and Taylor Ward.
DUVALL,
A station on the Norfolk & Western Railway in the northern part of the township, has a population of about 50. John W. Teegardin and daughter, Florence, have a tile factory here and T. W. Baum, a grain elevator, also dealing in coal and wood. A. E. Oman sells general merchandise ; Frank S. Baum deals in hardware and agricultural implements; Lafayette Dolby runs a blacksmith shop.