CHAPTER XIII
PICKAWAY TOWNSHIP
No section of the county or, indeed, of the whole State is invested with such extraordinary interest as is this township. Here were situated the Indian towns, for the destruction of which Lord Dunmore's campaign was organized. On its soil the army made its encampment and by a treaty brought to a close what threatened to be a long and bloody war. At the time the army of Lord Dunmore came into this country, in 1774, there were a number of important villages on the Pickaway Plains and the vicinity, the most important of which were Cornstalk's Town and Grenadier Squawtown, The former, named after the famous Shawnee chief, Cornstalk, was located just north of where the iron bridge crosses Scippo Creek on the Chillicothe turnpike; the latter, named for the sister of Cornstalk, the Grenadier Squaw, was located just south of the bridge. Camp Charlotte was situated on Scippo Creek in the southwest quarter of section 12, while the encampment of General Lewis was on the southeast quarter of section 30 on Congo Creek.
On the farm later settled by the Boggs family, now known as "Elmwood Farm," is located the large elm, under which the celebrated Mingo chief, Logan, is said to have delivered the speech made famous by Thomas Jefferson, in his "Notes on Virginia." This speech was not made in council, for Logan refused to attend the meeting at Camp Charlotte where the talk was held, and Lord Dunmore sent a trader by the name of John Gibson to inquire the cause of his absence. When Gibson arrived at the Indian town, Logan came to him and by Logan's request they went into an adjoining wood and sat down. Here, after shed-ding an abundance of tears, the Chief told his pathetic story. Gibson repeated it to the officers, who caused it to be published in the Virginia Gazette of that year.
The version of the speech, as given by Thomas Jefferson, is as follows : "I appeal to any white man to say, if ever he entered Logan's cabin hungry and I gave him not meat; if ever he came cold or naked and I gave him not clothing. During the course of the last long and bloody war, Logan remained in his tent an advocate for peace. Nay, such was. my love for the whites, that those of my own country pointed at me as they passed by and said, Logan is the friend of white men.' I had even thought to live with you but for the injuries of one man. Colonel Cresap, the last spring, in cold blood, and unprovoked, cut off all the relatives of Logan; not sparing even my women and children. There runs not a drop of my blood in the veins of any human creature. This called on me for revenge. I have, sought it. I have killed many. I have fully glutted my revenge. For my country I rejoice at the beams of peace. Yet, do not. harbor the thought that mine is the joy of fear. Logan never felt fear. He will not turn on his heel to save his life. Who s there to mourn for Logan? Not one."
Logan's last years were truly melancholy.. "He wandered about from tribe to tribe a solitary and lonely man. Dejected and broken-hearted by the loss of his friends and the decay
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of his tribe, he resorted to the stimulus of strong drink to drown his sorrow. He was at last murdered in Michigan near Detroit."
Views of the Logan Elm, which is still standing, are shown elsewhere in this work. It is entitled to consideration, not only for the historic interest attached to it, but also for its gigantic size.
The Indians lingered about this region for some time after the arrival of the whites. They had camps in the township, but no villages, after the first settlers located here. In their intercourse with their pale-faced brethren they were uniformly friendly and no trouble or annoyance was caused by their presence.
Pickaway township is also famous because of the Pickaway Plains, which make up the greater part of the township. In Howe's "Historical Collections of Ohio," is quoted the following description of the Pickaway Plains : "They are divided into two parts, the greater or upper plains, and the lesser or lower one. The soil was very black when first cultivated ; the result of vegetable decomposition through a long succession of ages. These plains are based on water-worn gravel and pebbles. The upper plain is at least 150 feet above the bed of the river, which passes about a mile west of them. Their form is elliptical, with the longest diameter from northeast to southwest, being about seven miles by three and a half or four miles. They were destitute of trees when first visited by the whites. The fertility was such as to produce one hundred bushels of corn, or fifty of wheat to the acre, for many years, but they are now less productive."
When the first settlers came here, they found the plains covered with a rank growth of grass, which grew to such a height that it could be tied over a horse's back. The land was ready for cultivation, no clearing being necessary. To this circumstance is attributed the early settlement and development of the township. On account of the almost unexampled fertility of the virgin soil of the Pickaway Plains, this section became known as the "Garden Spot of Ohio." While the productiveness of the soil is not so great now as in the early days of the settlement, crops are raised which amply repay the efforts of the husband-man.
The surface of the township is chiefly rolling, with the exception of the portion comprising the Pickaway Plains, where it is almost perfectly level. The principal stream s Scippo Creek, which enters the township in section 12, flows a tortuous course through the northern part and reaches the Scioto River two miles north of the southern line of the township. Congo Creek, also an important stream, flows through the southern part and unites with Scippo Creek a mile above its mouth. The Kinnickinnick, in the eastern part of the town-ship, is the only other stream worthy of mention.
Pickaway township, which is the largest
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township in the county in point of area, embraces all of township 10, range 21 (Worthington's survey), containing 36 square miles, and fractional township 3, range 22, lying between the western line of range 21 and the Scioto River, containing about 11 square miles. The total area of the township, therefore, is about 47 square miles. The population of the township, according to the census of 1900, is 1,231. The .township was organized before Pickaway County was erected. The first justice of the peace is said to have been David Shelby. Another early magistrate was Jonathan Ellis. The present townships officers are as follows : Trustees--William F. Stout, Burr H. Rader and Isaac E. Morris; clerk, Edward Wilkins; treasurer, Marvin H. Dreshach ; assessor, Adam Kuntz; justice of the peace, George Wilson; constable, Barney Ankrom.
EARLY SETTLERS.
The first settlements in Pickaway township were made toward the close of the 18th century, in 1796 or 1797. The first cabins were erected on Zanes' "Trace," which led through the plains from the crossing of the Hockhocking River (now Lancaster) to Chillicothe. While it cannot be stated with absolute certainty who was the first settler, it seems to be generally agreed that Caleb Evans s entitled to the honor. He was born in Pennsylvania thence removed to Kentucky where he resided until 196 or 1797, when he came to Ohio and settled on Scippo Creek on, the Pickaway Plains. The first white child born in the township, and probably the first in Pickaway County, was Mary Evans, daughter of Caleb Evans and his wife Elizabeth, the date of her birth being June 8, 1798.
George Fryback and family settled here in 1798. He first located on Scippo Creek in section 7, but the following spring he removed to the mouth of Congo Creek, where he remained until the land came into market in 1801, when he entered the south half of section 6. James Wilson located at Chillicothe in May, 1798, and soon after removed to the banks of the Congo, just above its junction with Scippo Creek. His death, which occurred June 8, 199, was the first in the township.
Among the earliest settlers of the township were Capt. John Boggs and his son, Maj. John Boggs. Captain Boggs, who was a native of Pennsylvania, removed with his family to Wheeling, Virginia (now West Virginia), in 1771, and settled at the mouth of Boggs' Run, opposite Boggs' Island, near old Fort Henry. In 196 he and his son John came to this section of Ohio to make a selection of land for settlement. They came down the Ohio in a keel-boat to the mouth of the Scioto, then with others, on a barge, to what was called "the station," below Chillicothe. They landed here and came on foot along the river to section 7, Pickaway township, where Captain Boggs made a location, which he subsequently entered. He brought out his family in 1798, and subsequently moved to Scippo Creek, on the hill above the present bridge, where he built a one story brick house, one of the first brick houses erected in the township. Maj. John Boggs, his son, settled on the farm later occupied by his son, James T. Boggs, on which the Logan Elm is situated, and erected a brick house in 1816. It is said that in 1803 he took the first flatboat, loaded with flour, down the Scioto to New Orleans, although cargoes of pork and whiskey had been shipped down before. The return trips were made on horse-back. He served in the War of 1812 with the rank of major.
John Rager, Jacob Greenough and Samuel and David Denny were among the early squatters on the Pickaway Plains. John Rager and Jacob Greenough afterward settled in Washington township. David Denny, who had a blacksmith shop on Congo Creek, in section 32, removed to the Walnut Plains in Harrison township in 1800 or soon thereafter. George Hitler; Sr., and family, from Somerset County, Pennsylvania, settled in Pickaway township in the spring of 1799; some five or six years later he removed to section 33, Washington township. Samuel Morehead came here from Kentucky about the same time as the Hitlers. John Gay, the father of Mrs. George Hitler, came here with his family in
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PAGE 160 - PICTURES: VIEW OF THE MAIN STREET IN DARBYVILLE; VIEW OF THE MAIN STREET IN ORIENT; TRUNK OF THE LOGAN ELM AND THE LOGAN ELM PICKAWAY TOWNSHIP.
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1799. He resided in this township until his death at the age of 102 years and 10 months. Another settler who came here in 199 was Samuel Seall, Sr., who located in section 9, and six or seven years later moved to Walnut township. His son, Samuel Seall, followed blacksmithing in the village of Jefferson, for a number of years. Afterward he followed farming in Pickaway township, and in the spring of 1845 settled in Washington township where he died.
Henry Nevill came to Pickaway township about 1800 and purchased a large tract of land on the Pickaway Plains. Subsequently, in 1803, he laid out the town of Jefferson; which prospered until Circleville was started, when it declined. The first term of the Court of Common Pleas for. Pickaway County was held at Mr. Nevill's house in Jefferson.
Other early settlers in the township who came here in the last years of the 18th century or first years of the . 19th were Thomas and John Barr, John Sharp, John Rush, Matthew Ferguson (who attained the advanced age of 99 years) and Jonathan Ellis, an early cabinetmaker and carpenter, who constructed the frame of the Boggs mill. David Shelby was also one of the first settlers in Pickaway township, locating here prior to 1800. He was a member of the State Legislature for 21 consecutive years, with the exception of one term. and was the first justice of the peace elected in the township of Pickaway.
Jacob Stingley came here in 1805; Hugh Foresman, in 1806; Thomas Emerson, James Hedges and Gabriel Steely, about .1807. Philip and Joseph Hedges, father and cousin, respectively, of James Hedges, arrived here a short time after he made his settlement. James Torbert, a son-in-law of Hugh Foresman, and, Jacob Wagner settled in Pickaway township in 1808; William Caldwell and family, in 1809; George Kellenberger and wife, soon after the close of the War of 1812: John Entrekin, who had settled in Ross County as early as 1798, became a resident of Pickaway township in 1828.
CHURCHES.
Meade M. E. Church.--The first Methodist class organized in the township was at Salem,now known as Meade. As early as 1802 or 1803 a log meeting-house was built, in which church services were held. Rev. James Quinn, a circuit preacher, held services in this building. In the fall of 1816 another log church was built, which was subsequently weather-boarded. This church continued to be used until the present frame structure was erected, which is valued at $1,800. The pastor of the. church is Rev. Stone, of Kingston. The charge was originally in the Pickaway Circuit, then in the Circleville, and is now in the Kingston Circuit. The Sunday-school has a membership of about 50' members ; the superintendent is John W. Stump.
Emmett's Chapel.--The Methodsts organized a society on the plains in an early date and held meetings alternately with the Presbyterian Church, which was organized in 1808 by Rev. James Robinson, then of the Mount Pleasant Church. The Presbyterian society held its meetings usually at the house of Maj. John Boggs or John Rawl. In 1816 Mr. Robinson commenced preaching one-third of his time in the Rawl schoolhouse, near the present site of Emmett's Chapel. The Methodist and Presbyterian societies continued to hold their meetings alternately in this schoolhouse until about 1835, when they united in erecting a brick church on a hill just south of Congo Creek bridge. It was used by them alternately for about 10 years when, some difficulty between the t o arising, the Methodists withdrew and provided another place of worship. Elias Reed, a leading member, bought the farm of John Rawl and turned the dwelling into a. meeting-house. This was used by the society until 1852, when the present Emmett's Chapel, named in honor of the pioneer Methodist preacher, Father Emmett,. was built. The Presbyterians continued to use the brick church on the hill for a few years after the Methodists withdrew. By reason of removals and. deaths their number became so reduced that preaching could not be supported and. the house was sold and taken down.
Palestine Church, in the northeastern part of the township, was built about the year 184c by a German Reformed and Lutheran Society. The Methodists afterwards bought an interest
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in the building and held meetings a number of years.
Ebenezer Church of the Evangelical Association stands about half a mile east of Hayesville, near the center of the township. The class was formed by Rev. John Dreisbach in 1835, the first members being Rev. John Dreisbach and wife, Thomas Kraft and wife, Adam Boyer and wife and John Kraft and wife. Abraham Dreisbach, who subsequently became minister of the church, and Isaac E., Catherine and Sophia Dreisbach and Mrs. Eliza Steely were also early members, uniting soon after the organization was effected. The first meetings were held at the dwellings of the members and afterwards in a log schoolhouse. Subsequently the society used the frame schoolhouse, which replaced the log one, until the erection of their present church in the summer of 1850. Rev. John Dreisbach, who lived on the farm where the church is located and whose remains lie beside those of his wife in the adjoining cemetery, gave the ground for the church and cemetery, and the sum of $1,000 toward the building of the church. The church is especially historic to the members of the Evangelical Association from the fact that Mr. Dreisbach was one of the . founders of the association, which was first known as the Albright Church, being a coworker with Bishop Albright. The church building cost $903.61 to erect. It was dedicated December 22, 1850, by Bishop Joseph Long and Presiding Elder J. G. Zinser. The outside of the building has never been structurally changed, but the interior has been remodeled several times. Rev. John Dreisbach preached for the class for a few years, until the regular circuit preachers were appointed. John Heisler was class leader until 1840, when Isaac E. Dreisbach, son of Rev. John Dreisbach and father of the present Sunday-school superintendent, B. F. Dreisbach, was appointed. Isaac E. Dreisbach continued as leader until his death in 1897--a period of 57 years. The church has a present membership of 50. Rev. G. W. Miesse, of Stoutsville, is pastor. The church building, although over 50 years old, has received such good care that it is still in excellent condition, being worth about $2,000 at this time. The sexton's house adjoining the church is valued at $600. B. F. Dreisbach has served as Sunday-school superintendent for the past 31 years.
There was formerly an organization of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Pickaway township. The church property, located near the Hitler-Ludwig Cemetery, has not been used for some 25 or 30 years. The last services held in the church were those attending the funeral of Jacob Hitler, which took place about 20 years ago.
CEMETERIES.
The first place in the township chosen for burial purposes was the Boggs burying-ground, in which the first person buried, whose grave is still marked, was David Boggs, who died May 10, 1800, in the loth year of his age. The next was Jacob Sayler, who died September 21, 1800, aged 52 years. The first burials in the old and now dilapidated Jefferson burying-ground were those of Nancy Evans, in August, 1813; and Willard Evans, in September of the same year. In the burying-ground at Meade near the Methodist Episcopal Church, Susannah Crow, who died July 8, 1809, was the first person interred. Thomas Crow was buried here in January, 1814. This cemetery is still used and is kept in fairly good condition. The cemetery adjoining Ebenezer Church is kept in very good shape, the sexton being in constant attendance. Some of the earliest interments in the township were made in the Mount Pleasant cemetery in Ross County, a mile southwest of Kingston. The first grave was that of Jane Harrison, wife of George Harrison, deceased September 6, 1800. The next was that of Jane Denny, who died in October, 1800.
SCHOOLS.
The first schools in the township were kept in unoccupied cabins and were supported by private subscriptions. Jesse Bartlett was one of the pioneer teachers. The first schoolhouse was probably the Rawl schoolhouse, in which the first term of school was kept by Hugh
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Hannagan. The first log meeting-house built at Salem (Meade) in 1802 or 1803 was also used as a schoolhouse. David Jones was one of those who taught school in this house. There are now nine schoolhouses in the township, all built of brick and in good condition. The Board of Education of Pickaway township is constituted as follows : Amos Hoffman, Dennis C. Rader, Henry R. Calvert, Charles Hall and Willis Ludwig. Edward Wilkins is clerk of the board.
The Meade schoolhouse, the largest and best known in the township, consists of two rooms; M. D. Kreider and Charles Kreider are the teachers. It ,is a brick structure with slate roof.
PHYSICIANS.
Dr. William B. Gould, who settled at Jefferson in 1802 or 1803, was the first physician resident in the township. He practiced with moderate success for about 15 years. Dr. Daniel Turney settled at Jefferson in 1806; after a stay of five or six years he removed to Circleville.
EARLY MILLS.
The pioneers of the township obtained their grist, at first, at a floating mill located on the Scioto, below Chillicothe. Subsequently Crouse's mill was erected on the Kinnickinnick in Ross County and the settlers then went there to mill. The first grist-mill in this township was built on Scippo Creek by Daniel Dreisbach about 1815 ; there was another mill on the same stream at an early date, which was owned by Benedict Morris. Christopher Bartley erected a frame grist-mill on Scippo Creek, which he ran until his death. Benjamin Shelby, son of David Shelby, the pioneer, afterwards bought the mill of Bartley's heirs and moved it down to the road and rebuilt it. He afterwards added a sawmill. The property was destroyed by fire in the fall of 1871. In 1819 Maj. John Boggs erected, near the mouth of Scippo Creek, a frame grist-mill, of three run of stone; he had previously erected a sawmill at the same place. He operated the mill until 1827; on Christmas day of that year his son, Lemuel Boggs, was caught in the machinery and crushed to death. Major Boggs then retired from active control of the concern, selling a half interest in the mill to George Kellenberger. There were a number of sawmills on Scippo Creek at an early day. At Jefferson, Henry Nevil erected in the first settlement of the township, a wind-mill, which was used for "cracking corn" for a time. It was not thought much of by his neighbors or by himself. It was a high structure, with long, broad fans or wings, and was a terror to the farmers' horses.
MEADE AND OTHER SMALL TOWNS OF THE
TOWNSHIP
Meade is a small settlement of 50 or 60 inhabitants, located in the southeastern part of the township. Reuben Hall has a grocery here.
Thatcher is a town of about 35 population, located on the pike from Circleville to Adelphi, on the north line of the township. Edward Barr has a general store here and Thatcher & Valentine, a blacksmith shop. J. S. Valentine is also in business here as a buyer and shipper of poultry. The postoffice at Thatcher was discontinued three years ago.
Hayesville is a settlement of 10 families in the northwestern section of the township, being located on the Norfolk & Western Rail-way. Fred Dumm conducts a grocery and hardware store; W. H. Grove is the village blacksmith and C. W. Rife operates the Dunlap elevator at this point.
Elmwood is a station on the Norfolk & Western Railway in the southwest section of the township. Here is located the Elmwood elevator, which was erected by Lemuel Boggs in the fall of 1876. The elevator is now being conducted by John Boggs and Chris. Weldon.
At the settlement of Nash, Mr. Lytle has a general store and carriage shop, while William Jones runs a blacksmith shop.
THE OLD VILLAGE OF JEFFERSON
Was laid out by Henry Nevill in 1803, being located in section 6, on the north line of the
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township. The first store here was opened by Nevill and was carried on by him alone for a few years, when he took Joseph Hedges as a partner. Another early store was that of George Brown. Subsequently quite a number of stores were established here and at one time Jefferson could justly boast of the extent of her mercantile trade. The founder of the village built the first tavern, which was first kept by a party named Bobst, who was succeeded by Henry Toni. The sign of the tavern displayed the portrait of Thomas Jefferson, in whose honor the town was named. Joseph Adamson was the last proprietor of the house, afterwards removing to Circleville, where he kept the Valley House. There were two other hotels built at Jefferson, one of which was the Caldwell house, kept by William Caldwell and others. There were also the other establishments necessary to a town with a population of some 300 or 400. There was one brick building in the place, the dwelling of Major Puthuff, who served in the War of 1812. The house was finally purchased by John B. Moore, who took it down and rebuilt it in Circleville. The first courts held in the county, as stated previously, were held at Jefferson and. a strong effort was made by the proprietor and the inhabitants to secure the location of the county seat. But this failed and the town began to go down and many dwellings were moved away. In 1840 the place had decreased to 85 inhabitants. No vestige of the town now remains.
Jefferson and the neighboring town of Livingston in Circleville township, which has also disappeared, were the resort of the intemperate, idle and dissolute and were a great annoyance to the sober farmers in their vicinity.