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474 - HISTORY OF ROSS AND HIGHLAND COUNTIES, OHIO CONCORD. This township was granted an independent organization by the board of county commissioners, March 4, 1811, at which time it was "Ordered, that a township be struck off the south side of New Market township, running east and west, so as to include the residence of Lewis Gibler in the original township." On the third Monday of April following, the proper surveys having been made and writs of election sent out to the inhabitants, the first election in the township was held at the house of Robert Huston. The officers of the election were Samuel Whitley, Nathaniel Campbell, and Jonas Rotroff, judges, and Benjamin Massie, clerk. About thirty votes were cast, and Jonas Rotroff, William Rea, and Thomas Pettyjohn were elected trustees; Oliver Ross, clerk; Isaiah Ross and John Ross, justices of the peace; Samuel Nichols and William Miller, constables; and Benjamin Massie, lister. At the October election of 1811, held on the eighth day of that month, fifty-seven votes were polled. This included the names of settlers living in that part of Concord which was afterwards stricken off in the formation of White Oak township. The officers of Concord township for 1879, were Henry Wilkin, jr., E. A. Walker, and Benjamin Hudson, trustees; S. E. Redkey, clerk; J. W. Vaughn, treasurer; Henry Wilkin, sr., assessor ; John Rogers, justice of the peace; W. T. Woods, and Ellis Lewis, constables. The first justice of the peace who lived in the present township of Concord, was Samuel Hindman, who was elected an additional justice for New Market, in 1896. NATURAL FEATURES. The surface in this township is generally rolling, though in the eastern part it is quite hilly. The soil is generally clay, of a thin character, which soon wears out when cultivated. There is also some good land in portions or the township. The timber was maple, ash, walnut, beech, white oak, and other varieties. Sugar Tree Ridge was named from the great amount of sugar maples with which it was originally covered. The streams are the waters of White Oak in the west and northwest. Most of the drainage is into the tributaries of Brush creek. SETTLEMENT. Most of the early settlers in this part of Highland county congregated in the vicinity of the town of New Market, and along the branches of White Oak creek in the present townships of White Oak and Hamer. In the former a large number of the early comers located. The first settlement in the present township of Concord was made by Samuel Hindman, about 18o1. John Emery came about the same time and settled near him. No further settlement was made until the year 1807, after which date the population increased quite rapidly for a time. In the summer and fall of 1809, Jonas Rotroff, Henry Nace and St. Clair Ross settled on Sugar Tree Ridge, and in the vicinity. This ridge was named from the number of sugar maples with which it was covered, and which have been cleared away long since. Mr. Ross was one of the first settlers in New Market township, where he arrived in 1797. During the two or three years following, quite a number of settlers came in. They were Oliver Ross and Robert Huston,from New Market, John Wright, a stonemason, James Fletcher, James Forsythe, Rachel Wilkin, William Igo, Isaac Greathouse, Edward Brown, Abel Roberts, Thomas Roberts, Charles Walker, Elijah Walker, John Dickey, Thomas Dickey, William Black, William Campbell, Henry Miller, George Weaver, Abel Wood, Henry Buzzard, A. Hamilton, William Thompson, David Borden, Daniel Fry and Lewis Lewis. Edward Earls and family emigrated from Virginia in the spring of 1807 and settled a mile and a quarter south . of Sugar Tree Ridge, on land which was afterwards owned by Stacey Storer. His land was situated on what is now the Hillsborough and Maysville road. The same spring Jeremiah Grant and family settled half a mile south of Earl. In July of the same year Samuel Whitley emigrated with his family from Rockbridge county, Virginia, and settled on the road afterwards known as the "Whiskey Road." Rachel Wilkin and het family, who settled in the south part of New Market in the fall of 1802, removed to near Sugar Tree Ridge in 1811. Her husband, Henry Wilkin, died in the place of their first settlement, the February following their arrival in the new country. Her son, Henry Wilkin, came to the new location with her, and has always resided on the same place. He worked at the trade of cooper for some twenty years. In 1828 he married Mary Wright, by whom he had seven children. She died, and for a second wife he married her sister Susannah, who bore him two children and died. He then married Rebecca Hughes, and has two daughters who reside at home. For some time they have kept a hotel by name of the "Wilkie House." John Beard came from Virginia sometime before the war of 1812, in which he was a soldier, and settled in HISTORY OF ROSS AND HIGHLAND COUNTIES, OHIO - 475 Concord township. His children were Thomas, William, John, James, Jacob, Samuel, Andrew and Polly, most of whom remained in the vicinity, though some removed to other parts. Thomas settled near Berryville in about 1826, and in 1836 removed to New Market township, two miles southeast of the town, where he remained during his life. His family consisted of twelve children. Two daughters, Mrs. Johnson and Mrs. Stanforth, live in Washington township, and one son, Weldon, on a farm a half mile west of the home place. The other children are scattered. William Igo and family emigrated from Pennsylvania in 181 1, and, after remaining in Ross county one year, in April, 1812, came to Concord township, Highland county, where he bought a farm lying adjoining the ridge in the north. His original farm contained one hundred and thirty-four acres, which is now owned by his son William. Mr. Igo was the father of nine children— Lewis, Daniel, Peter, William, Polly, Betsey, Margaret, Sally, and Ellen. Margaret became the wife of W. Miner, and now lives a widow at Sugar Tree Ridge ; Peter lives in Illinois; Daniel died in the south; Polly married William Miller, and died in the township ; Betsey died at home; Sally married Henry Miller, and still lives in Concord; Ellen married James Hetherington, and died at the Ridge; Lewis owns a farm a mile east of the Ridge. His wife is Lois (McCoy), whose father came from Virginia to this State in 1825, and in 1836 located in the eastern part of Concord township. Henry Miller came to Concord soon, after 1812, and settled in the east part of the township. His sons, Henry and John, remained on his farm. William sold his farm and removed to Hillsborough, where John also lives at this time, having rented his farm. Daniel McCoy went from Maryland to Rockbridge county, Virginia, and, in 1825, came from that State to near New Petersburgh, in this county, where he remained until 1836, when he bought a farm in the eastern part of Concord township. He raised a family of twelve children, two of whom (John McCoy, near the old home, and Mrs. Lois Igo), remain in Concord. The remaining children scattered to other parts of the country, and a part are dead. The old home is now occupied by Daniel Igo. Samuel Lindsay and family came from Giles county, Virginia, and settled on Sugar Tree Ridge, in 1836. Here he bought a farm of .fifty acres with Samuel Hetherington, and remained there until the fall of 1840, when he bought a farm of one hundred and three acres on the Hillsborough and Ripley road, about two miles below the north line of the township, and one mile from its western boundary. He had a family of ten children— Susan, Catharine, Christopher, Eliza A., Joseph R., George W., Whitney A. M., James H., Margaret M., and Eleanor J. Four are now living in Concord township; Catharine died east of the Ridge ; Susan, Whitney, James, Margaret, and Eleanor, all died at home. Mr. Lindsay died October io, 1866.. Samuel Hetherington came from Ireland to Virginia, in 1807, and to Ohio in 1836. He settled on the Ridge, and engaged in farming. He raised a family of children, one of whom is in Illinois; another, George, died on-the Ridge, where he worked at shoemaking. A son of George now owns a general merchandise store at the Ridge. Two daughters of Samuel Hetherington live on the Ridge, and one in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. James Hetherington came at the same time as Samuel. He was the first postmaster at Sugar Tree Ridge. John Denning came from Ireland to Virginia, and after a few years removed to Ohio, and bought an improved farm, of Richard Crosier, a half mile west of Sugar Tree Ridge. There he carried on farming until his death. The place is now owned by his son, William, and two daughters, Margaret and Maria, who live at the old home. William Turner and family came from Virginia, in 1836, and bought a farm of one hundred acres in Concord township. His purchase was made from Aaron Adams, who had made a small clearing. His family consisted of eight children one born after coming to Ohio. They were: Jane, Maria, Eliza, Hugh J., William M., Samuel, Margaret, Amanda, and James H. John died when a young man. William M. lives in Kansas, Margaret in Indiana, Maria died in Kansas; Samuel, James, and Amanda live in the township. Hugh J. and Eliza live at the old home with their father and mother. Jane (Mrs. Beeson), lives in Hillsborough. John Redkey emigrated from Pennsylvania with his father's family, in 1808, and settled in the north part of Paint township, on the west bank of Rattlesnake creek. He married Rachel Edenfield, who was born in Delaware, in 1814, and came to Ohio with her parents, Samuel and Jane Edenfield, in 1818, and settled in Marshall township. There Mrs. Redkey died, March i, 1839, leaving two sons, the elder fifteen years of age, to make their own way in the world. The elder, H. H. Redkey, at present residing in Concord township, and serving as county commissioner, volunteered in August, 1862, as a private in company I, Eighty-ninth Ohio infantry, and was afterward promoted to sergeant. He was captured at the battle of Chickamauga, Sunday, September 20, 1863, with his regiment, and was confined a prisoner at Libby and Danville prisons; and at Andersonville, eleven months a total of nineteen months. He was discharged from the service June 8, 1865, and in October of the same year was elected county commissioner, and served three years. He was again elected in 1870, and, after serving three years, was at home one year, when he was again elected for three years. At the close of his term he was again re-elected in October, 1879. He has always taken a great deal of interest in public improvements especially in the building of turnpikes. On his farm in this township he pays particular attention to the breeding and raising of short-horn cattle and Berkshire hogs, and stands high among the farmers of his township and the county. John Beard and family emigrated from Pennsylvania to Kentucky, and from there came to Ohio and settled in Adams county, in 1802, where he passed the remainder of his life. His children went in different direc- 476 - HISTORY OF ROSS AND HIGHLAND COUNTIES, OHIO. tions, several settling in Highland county William near Hillsborough, Thomas in Jackson and afterwards in New Market. James lived in Jackson for a time, and went to Indiana. Samuel came to White Oak township in 1828, and after a few years, removed to Jackson. In about 1838 he bought a farm in Concord township, where he passed his life. He was twice married, and raised eight children, as follows : Elizabeth, Thomas Lyburn, Jeannette, Sarah A., and Nancy, by his first wife, and James M., who is now in Kansas, C. A., on the old home, and Samuel A., who died. Thomas L. now owns a farm of one hundred acres, three miles south of New Market. THE WHISKEY ROAD. In early days the very necessary commodity, whiskey, was scarce, and to secure plenty of it, in about 1809, a party from New Market started out to cut a road through the woods to near Winchester, where a German named Hemphill had a distillery, the fame of which had spread to the early settlements. It was on New Years day, 1809, that the party started from the tavern of George W. Barrere, in New Market, headed by that gentleman with his compass and Jacob-staff to locate the route for the new road. He was followed by thirty men with axes, and a barrel of Jacob Medsker's best whiskey on a pole sled drawn by a horse. Several tin cups were hung on one side of the sled and a side of bacon on the other. A boy rode the horse, and for a saddle sat on a bag, the ends of which were filled with corn dodgers. A few of the force carried rifles, with which to procure any game which they should be fortunate enough to meet. Mike Moore had charge of the barrel and provisions, and carried with him his fiddle, with which he made the camp lively during the evening. The whiskey barrel was nearly empty in the morning, which proved an incentive to the force to be expeditious with their work and reach a new base of supplies, where a fresh drink could be taken. On the return a barrel of Hemphill's best was placed on the slide, and the speed being greater, the larger portion of it safely returned to New Market. Thereafter the New Marketers had a sure road for the transportation of their favorite beverage. INDUSTRIES, SCHOOLS, ETC. The first school taught within the limits of Concord, was situated some seventy rods southeast of Sugar Tree Ridge, in 1809. The cabin used for that purpose was built of logs, with a..fire-place in one end. Light was furnished by sawing out a log on each side and pasting over the aperature greased paper. Puncheons made by splitting logs, were used for seats. The first teacher of this school was Samuel Hale, a Kentuckian; afterwards Oliver Ross, John Maharley, David Askell, and others, were teachers. This school was supported by Jonas Rotroff, St. Clair Ross, Henry Nace, Samuel Whitley, Samuel Hindman, John Hare, Lewis Gibler, Rachel Wilkin and William Black, all of whom sent children to this cabin school. The next school-house on the Ridge was built in about 1821 or '22. Some time later one was built a mile and a half farther east. Rachel Wilkin planted an orchard in 1811, on a small piece of land cleared for that purpose. This is believed to be the first orchard in the township. John Whitley established a horse-mill as early as 1809, which he run a number of years, and finally sold to Lewis Igo, who continued it several years. There were other similar mills near by, in what are now New Market and White Oak townships. John Phibbs had a small still a mile and one-fourth north of the Ridge, about 1825. In connection with it he had a tread-mill, which was used for grinding the grain. Isaiah Ross also had a small copper still a mile south of the Ridge, which was in operation a number of years. James Thompson also had a still some two miles northwest of the Ridge. A tannery was started in the west part of the township, in about 1830, by Isaac Wilkin. He was not a practical tanner, and was compelled to employ a man to do the work, which did not prove profitable, and in a few years was abandoned. The only mill now in operation in Concord, is the grist- and saw-mill two miles northeast of the Ridge, which was built by Eli Gibler, in about 187o. The first regular physician was Dr. David Noble, who came to the Ridge in 1846. After a few years his brother Arthur came and took his place, and continued in practice many years. Since that time Drs. Hand, Quinn, and, perhaps, others, have practiced for a time. The profession is at present represented by Dr. William Bunn. SOCIETIES. The only society in Concord is a lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Sugar Tree Lodge, No. 684, instituted July 24, 1879. The charter members were: L. S. Test, E. F. Webster, L. F. Webster, John Webster, G. F. Dickey, S. T. Massie, and Joseph Bunn. The officers for 188o are : John Webster, N. G.; J. S. Hetherington, V. G.; A. N. Bunn, F. S.; E. A. Walker, treasurer; Dr. W. H. Bunn, P. S. POST-OFFICE. The post-office at Sugar Tree Ridge was established soon after 1840, with James Hetherington in charge. After him came Newton Holmes, Jacob Stout, and, perhaps, others. The present postmaster is Job S. Hetherington, with Edwin O. Hetherington as assistant. There is also a post-office at Fairfax, on the line between Concord and Jackson townships. BUSINESS. The first merchant at Sugar Tree Ridge was James Mongar, who opened a small stock of goods in his shoe- shop about 1813 or '14. After him came William Miller, now of Hillsborough. He occupied the building now owned by Jacob Stout, and used as a hotel. Samuel Hetherington opened the first hotel on the Ridge about 184o; he kept his house open some years. A little later he had a hotel stand at his place a little north of the Ridge. The present houses of 'entertainment are those of Henry Wilkin, a mile north of the Ridge, and Jacob Stout, in the town. There is at Fairfax a hotel, store, wagon and black- HISTORY OF ROSS AND HIGHLAND COUNTIES, OHIO - 477 smith shop, and church. The town has a population of fifty or sixty. The business at Sugar Tree Ridge at this time is represented by Job S. Hetherington and J. W. Vaughn, both of whom keep a stock of general merchandise; W. White and William Few, blacksmiths, and a wagon shop. The population is about eighty. There are also two churches on the Ridge, owned by the Methodist and Christian denominations. RELIGIOUS. THE METHODIST CHURCH at Sugar Tree Ridge was organized at the house of Mrs. Rachel Wilkin soon after 1811. Meetings were held there some twenty years, and afterwards at the house of Mrs. Susan Nichols, and at Mrs. Mary Huston's. The early members were: Mrs. Rachel Wilkin, John Strain and wife, Oliver Ross and wife, St. Clair Ross and wife, Mrs. Mary Huston, John Sloan and wife, William Boatman and wife, Mrs. Susan Nichols, and, perhaps, others. A frame church was built between 1836 and 184o, and was replaced by another frame building in 1859. Among the early preachers were Isaac Pavey, William Finley, John Collins and Charles Godridge. In 1827 Rev. Hezekiah Baxter was the pastor. The church now has a membership of nearly one hundred and fifty. A Sabbath-school is sustained during the summer. THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH was organized on a tributary of Brush creek, about 183o. A log house was built, in which services were held some years, but the church was finally abandoned, and the log house torn down. In 1874 a new frame church was built, which is now used. The early members were the Lyle family, William, Finley, John, and a cousin, William, and, perhaps, a few others. It has never had a large membership. A NEW LIGHT CHURCH was organized east of the Ridge as early as 1840, about which time a frame church was built, but not being well constructed, it became unsafe, and was torn down. It was replaced by a new frame building in about 1875. The first meeting was held in a log school-house in the vicinity. There is a membership of some fifty or sixty, under the pastorate of Rev. Morris, who has been the minister during the past nine years. This church is called Miller's chapel. THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH was organized at the school-house in Sugar Tree Ridge, in about 1868. Meetings were held where the church was formed, several years. On Christmas day, 1878, a new church was opened, and was dedicated the Sunday nearest to Christmas. The first membership was nearly forty. 'The preachers have been William Moore, Aaron Moore, William Thompson and Thomas Pinkerton. A Sunday-school is sustained during the summer. BURIAL PLACES. The first ground used for burial purposes was located on the farm of Samuel Nichols, now owned by Dr. Noble, of Winchester. The next ground was east of the ridge, at Milton Lewis', then one at the church on the ridge. At this time there is also one at Miller's chapel, one at Wesley chapel, one at Fairfax, and one belonging to the Methodist church on the ridge. |