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CARROLL AND HARRISON COUNTIES - 179 CHAPTER XX EAST AND FOX TOWNSHIPS BOUNDARIES-LOCATIONS--POPULATION - RAILROADS - ALTITUDE - ASKING FOR A GRADED HIGHWAY-KILLING OF THE LAST DEER -MORGAN'S GREAT RAID-MINERAL RESOURCES-VILLAGES -NORRISTOWN-MECHANICSTOWN - WATTSVILLE - PINE HILL - SCROGGSFIELD. EAST TOWNSHIP This township is the extreme northeastern sub-division of Carroll County and was originally under the name of Franklin Township, in a contribution from Columbiana County. It contains three rows of sections out of the original surveyed township 14, range 4. together with six sections taken off Augusta Township by the county commissioners. It has now twenty-four square miles within itS limits. In 1840, it had a population of 995; altitude above Lake Erie 509 feet. At the eastern line of the township bordering on Columbiana County, the surface in many places is strewn with bowlders of northern origin. The topography is such as to indicate coal measures. Three-fourths of a mile of the trackage of the Cleveland & Pittsburgh Railroad passes through the northeastern corner of this township. POPULATION FOR THIRTY YEARS The United States census returns show that in 1890, this township had a population of 640; in 1900 it was 606 and in 1910 was given as only 572. VILLAGE OF NORRISTOWN The only platted village in this township is Norristown, platted in the southwest quarter of section 29, township 14, range 4, by Daniel Norris, September 4, 1832. It has only a name in memory as it never developed to be known as much of a place. FOX TOWNSHIP Fox township is six miles square, situated on the eastern line of Carroll County and contains thirty-six sections and has on its surface village plattings as follows : Mechanicstown, Wattsville, Pine Hill, Scroggsville, none of which have developed into much in way of business centers, but of great value to the farming communities surrounding them. This township is bounded on the north by East Township and Columbiana County, on the east by Columbiana County, on the south 180 - CARROLL AND HARRISON COUNTIES by Columbiana County and Lee Township, Carroll County and on the west by Washington Township. The Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad passes through the township from sections 35 and 36 to section 19 on the south line where it enters Jefferson County. POPULATION In 1890 this township had a population of 1,210; in 1900 it was 1,149 and in 1910 was placed at only 1,008. ORGANIZATION Fox Township which is all of township 13, range 4, hence has 23,040 acres of land within its borders, waS taken from Columbiana County by the Ohio legislature in 1832-33. An early mention of the township is found in the Centreville Record, October 24, 1832, as follows : "A petition will be presented to the next legislature in Ohio, praying for a graded road to be laid out in the following direction to-wit : Commencing at Thomas Sipilar's wood-yard in Knox Township, Jefferson County, Ohio ; thence to Abraham Myer's mill, in the township aforesaid ; thence to William Hoaten's in Fox Township, Columbiana County, Ohio ; thence to intersect the graded road from the mouth of the Big Yellow Creek to the Ohio Canal near Henry Micks in Fox Township." (Signed, October 10, 1832.) THE LAST DEER It is believed that the last wild deer killed within Carroll County was killed about 1844 in Fox Township, by James Ferrell, one of the first county commissioners of Carroll County. This deer was chased for three days from the north branch of the Yellow Creek and finally brought to bay—that innocent animal of the wilderness. MORGAN'S RAIDERS As elsewhere mentioned in this work, the famous rebel cavalry raider was in Carroll County in Civil war days and along with his band of guerrillas, passed over the farm of Jonah Queen of this township, Sunday morning, July 26, 1863. RESOURCES The coal industry here has been for many years of great importance. Millions of tons have been taken from the bowels of the earth and shipped hither and yon. The land is rolling and well watered by streams and springs of a never-failing type, making it a desirable place for stock raising. VILLAGES OF THIS TOWNSHIP Mechanicstown was laid out in 1836 by Thomas McGavern and is situated nine mileS northeaSt of Carrollton. In 1880 it had a popu- CARROLL AND HARRISON COUNTIES - 181 lation of 200; had a Presbyterian, Methodist Episcopal and a United Presbyterian church. Its business at that date included the following dealers: Saw mill by Samuel Anderson, and another by Samuel Hardgrove; general dealers, Boyd Brothers ; physician, Dr. William Calhoun; hardware, Clark & Ralston; boots and shoes, John Hoase; undertaker, S. McFadden ; millinery, Mrs. M. Spence; postmaster, John McKee; agricultural implements, Samuel Stinges. The present business includes the following: General dealers, J. C. Dumbleton, W. M. Hoobler and S. L. Newbold; hardware, same as above ; groceries, same as above. The postmaster is J. C. Dumbleton who was commissioned February 8, 1907, being in office to date, fourteen years. SCROGGSFIELD This hamlet is seven miles east of Carrollton ; in 1880 had a population of seventy-five and about as many as at present. Its general dealers were then John George and Anderson & Son; blacksmith, John Barber ; the hamlet was named for Reverend Scroggs, a pioneer missionary who called it a "good field" for his work. WATTSVILLE This place is situated in the southwest quarter of section 20 and was platted by David Watt, March 27, 1838, ten miles east from Carrollton. In 1880 its population was reported to be fifty persons—about the same as today. At that date there was a general store, two saw mills, a shoe shop, a blacksmith shop and a physician. Pine Hill, in section 1, is another country hamlet of more recent years. GENERAL REMARKS In Civil war times this township gave of her men and money freely. One of her favorite sons was Gen. B. F. Potts, who General Grant appointed as governor of the Territory of Montana. |