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400 - HISTORY OF CLERMONT COUNTY, OHIO. the residence of his son Aaron. Jesse Swem was the father of sons named John, Ephraim, Jcsse, and Daniel, and three daughters, whose descendants yet live in Pierce and Ohio townships. About 1786, Jacob Light with his wife and child moved from his native State, Pennsylvania, to Detroit ; but four years later concluded to return to his home, as the Indian difficulties were too unsettled to render a home in the West safe. Ile was guided by a friendly Indian, and the journey to Wheeling consumed five weeks, passing the greater part of the way through dense forests. In 1791 he and his brothers, Daniel and David, descended the Ohio to Columbia, where they made a temporary settlement. While living here, in July, 1792, he went to Fort Washington (Cincinnati) in a canoe, and returned on the 7th of that month, accompanied by Mrs. Coleman (a woman of sixty years of age), two strange men, one of whom was under the influence of liquor, and Oliver M. Spencer, a boy eleven years of age. Light propelled the boat with a pole, standing at the bow, while one of the strangers sat at the stern guiding it. The drunken man rocked the boat so much that he was put ashore, and at the same time the lad asked permission to walk along the beach. After they had gone some distance they were fired upon by a few Indians, who had been concealed by an ambush of willows, instantly killing the stranger and shooting Light in the left shoulder. Both he and Mrs. Coleman jumped into the river, and although able to use but one arm he struck for the Kentucky shore. He was so weak, however, that he had to strike for the Ohio shore, which he reached very weak from the loss of blood. Mrs. Coleman also reached the shore safe. The Indians, meantime, had directed their efforts to the capture of the lad, who tried to run away from them. He was held in captivity many years, but was finally ransomed and returned to Columbia. Strange to say, the Indians did not molest the drunken man, but allowed him to go on his way unharmed. Light proceeded to Columbia and gave the alarm, but the Indians had already fled the country, The following year he removed to Kentucky, and lived at various points in that State until 1797, when, having purchased the Jackson survey, in Ohio, he crossed over and erected the first cabin on the site of the present village of New Richmond, which he founded in the course of years. In 1813 he built the large brick house on the bank of the river above the lumber-mills, where he died. His family consisted of seven sons and four daughters, as follows: John, who lived on a farm near New Richmond until his death in 1872, aged eighty-six years. He was the father of Mrs. A. Reese and Mrs. David Conner ; Daniel, the second son, lived in Monroe until his death in 1873, and his family yet occupy his place; the fourth son, Jacob, lived in the same township, where he died about ten years ago; David, the fifth son, removed to Illinois ; Peter, the sixth son, lives at an extreme age at New Richmond ; and Benjamin, the youngest, died near the village in 1875. Jacob Light was an active man, and had his full share of official honors. Daniel Light, a brother of Jacob, settled on the Twelve- Mile Creek, a few miles above its mouth. He also had an adventure with the Indians, and was shot through his body so that a silk handkerchief had to be drawn through it to cleanse lhe wound. His family consisted of sons namcd John and Martin, who removed to Illinois ; Abel, who removed to Iowa ; and James, who removed to Indiana ; another son, is yet a resident of Ohio. There were also three daughters named Betsy, Katie, and Susan. Peter Light, another brother of Jacob, settled in Williamsburgh township. He was the father of the eloquent Rev. George C. Light. John Light, the father of Jacob, Daniel, and Peter, came to Ohio at a later day and lived with the former son until his dealh. With him came his daughter Barbara, who was married to Alexander Robb, who settled on Twelve- Mile, near Daniel Light's. He was the father of James and Samuel Robb, the owners of the mill on Twelve-Mile. The former died in the township and the latter removed to Iowa, as did also his brothers, Andrew and Benjamin. The daughters of Alexander Robb married James Warren and Thomas Williamson, both of Ohio. Some time before 1800, Archibald Gray settled two miles below New Richmond, on the farm which is yet known by the family name, where he deceased before 1825. his daughters married Joseph Fagin, John Scott, Aaron Parker, and John Winans. Of his sons, Hiram died oU the homestead ; John, Henry, and Vincent removed to the West ; James H. lives in New Richmond, and Aaron in Pierce. In the Mount Pisgah neighborhood Edward Chapman was an early settler on the Dillon place, locating there about 1803, and died there about 1825. He had a numerous family, which became connected with the Husongs, Halls, Lindseys, and Dillons, and many descendants yet remain. A little earlier David White settled on the farm yet occupied by his son William, where he deceased, in 1851. Another of his sons, David, lives at Mount Pisgah. In 1806, John Cox, a Virginian, came and began improving the farm now owned by his son, John, where he died in 1835. Another of his sons, Henry, is a resident of Williamsburgh. Near this time Reuben Laycock settled in this neighborhood. He was the father of Reuben, who long lived in that neighborhood, and the grandfather of Prof. Laycock, the eminent teacher of Cincinnati. The latter's father was named William, who lived in Tate ; and John, another son, moved to the South. The brother of Reuben Laycock, Sr., Nathan, settled in the " Franklin neighborhood," and lived on the farm now owned by P. J. Dunham. One of his sons, Absalom, is yet a resident of Monroe, and William, Amos, and Isaac removed to Indiana. Nathan, another son, died in Monroe. In this neighborhood also settled about the same time John Shaw, who was born in York Co., Pa., July 15, 1779. His father was James Shaw, who did valiant service in the Revolution, serving under Gen. Neville, and was at Trenton, Germantown, and Brandywine. In 1790 he moved with his family to Maysville, Ky., and five years later to Campbell County, of the same State, about three miles west of New Richmond, where he opened a large farm and lived until his death. Of his six sons, John, the eldest, purchased a tract of land in Ohio about 1800, having been led to see its beauty and fertility before the OHIO TOWNSHIP - 401 country was settled, while hunting on this side of the river. In 1804 he married Nancy Morin, a daughter of Edward Morin, and having improved his land somewhat came on to live in the spring of 1808, occupying the present Ira Ferguson's place. He served a short time in the war of 1812, and rendered prominent service as a public man. He died in July, 1847, and his wife twenty years later, having reared a family of ten children. Of these James, the eldest, became a member of Gen. Austin's Texas colony, where he followed his avocation as a surveyor while that State was yet a Territory, and helped achieve its independence by fighting in her army and serving in her Congress, distinguishing himself as a military man and as a legislator. John, the second son, yet resides near New Richmond. He married a daughter of Gen. Clayton Webb, of' Hamilton County, who settled there in 1789. He was a member of the last Constitutional Convention, and served in the Legislature. William, the third son, married a daughter of William Nichols, and was also a legislator. He yet resides in Ohio. The next two sons, Robert and Joseph, removed to Missouri, where the latter was for many years the principal of the Lexington schools. The former was killed by bushwhackers in 1862. Jonathan R., the youngest son, married a daughter of Johnson Wyatt, and yet lives on part of the old Shaw farm. Of the daughters of John Shaw, Sr., one had Nathan Nichols for her first husband, and for her second Elijah Penn ; others married John Nichols, Ira Ferguson, and Robert Davis,—the latter of Indiana. Northwest from this place, Dr. Joshua Porter was a pioneer, as well as one of the earliest physicians in the county. He was a man of strong traits of character, and was also a legal counselor. He died many years ago, and none of his family remain. William Doane, from Maine, settled farther north before 1812, and lived in the neighborhood of Lindale until his death. His son, William, was a student of Dr. Porter's and settled as a physician at Withamsville, from which place he was elected to Congress. James, another son, lived on a farm a mile from Amelia, where one of his sons yet lives. Daniel removed to Cincinnati, and John Doane died on the homestead. In the same neighborhood Joshua Richardson was also a pioneer. Samuel Tibbitts was also from the State of Maine, coming to this locality about 1811. In the latter part of his life he became a steam-doctor, and for several years practiced that system at Cincinnati, but before his death returned to this neighborhood. He had a large family, and was a progressive man. Another native of Maine, the Rev. Ichabod Temple, a Baptist minister, settled in this neighborhood half a dozen years later. He died in 1839. He was the grandfather of George and A. J. Temple, of Ohio, and Justice Temple, of Batavia. His son, Robert, died at Mount Carmel ; James removed to Illinois ; William and Cyrus died in Ohio ; and Nathaniel in Pierce. John Temple, of another family, settled in Union about the same time. He was the father of Alexander Temple, a ship-carpenter in Cincinnati, and has numerous descendants in the county. On the farm now occupied by his grandson, William C. Coombs, at Lindale, Andrew Coombs, Sr., settled in 1812. He constructed a wagon in Maine, with a contrivance attached to the wheels to mark the distance, and with it made the journey to Connellsville, Pa., where they embarked on an "ark," and came down the Ohio by that means. He died at Lindale in 1847, at the age of seventy-two years, having reared four sons and four daughters, viz. : Andrew, who was a merchant in Ohio, and died at Lindale in 1864; Joseph J., who is an attorney in Washington City ; William H., an attorney at Fort Wayne ; Thomas, who died in California. Andrew Coombs, Sr., had also four daughters. Nathaniel Barber and family came from the State of New Jersey, and settled in Clermont County in the year 1809, on the farm lately ocoupied by Emley Barber, four miles from the village of Goshen. He died Aug. 4,1826, in the sixty-sixth year of his age. His wife (Ann Watson Barber) died March 27, 1827, being sixty-two years of age. They had ten children,—four sons and six daughters,—namely, Nathaniel, Daniel, Watson, Emley, Susannah Banghart, Lucy Mount, Jane Cox, Rebecca Paxton, Sarah Gatch, and Mary, who died at the age of sixteen. Nathaniel Barber, the eldest son, located in Cincinnati in the year 1809. During the war of 1812 he belonged to a cavalry company commanded by Capt. Snell, which was acting as a body-guard to Gen. Hull at the time of his surrender. In 1817 he moved to New Richmond, Clermont Co., where ire hved until the fall of 1832, at which time he took possession of his farm, situated on Little Indian Creek, near New Richmond. He died March 10, 1848, in the sixty-sixth year of his age. Hannah Barber, his wife, died in 1855, and was buried by the side of her husband, in Green Mound Cemetery, where all members of the family who have died now repose. Their family consisted of five sons and four daughters,—Thomas, died in New Richmond in 1834; Daniel Barber, M.D., died in the same place in 1856, in the thirty-seventh year of his age ; James H. Barber, M.D., now lives in Falmouth, Ky. ; Wilson Barber is living on the farm where Iris father died ; Nathaniel J. Barber, M.D. (late assistant surgeon Fifty-ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry), resides at New Richmond ; Mary Ann Sturges died near New Richmond in 1866, in the forty-ninth year of her age ; Catharine Emerson died in 1876; Sarah Jane Cooder owns and lives on part of the home-farm ; Hannah Wilson also lives on a part of the Barber farm, near the spot where she was born. Nathaniel Barber moved to Illinois ; Daniel lived and died on a farm adjoining that of his father ; Epley lived and died on his father's farm, in 1868, aged sixty years. In the spring of 1809, Andrew Conner, with his wife and seven children, came down the Ohio in a small boat, from his home in Mercer, Pa., and settled in Kentucky, opposite New Richmond. In 1813 he came to that part of New Richmond called Susanna, where he died about 1847. Of their children, four were the offspring of his wifels former marriage with a man named Lewis, and one of these, George Lewis, died in 1821. Of the Conner children, John, the eldest, began steamboating in 1832, and for thirty-six years was engaged in that occupation, chiefly as captain of steamboats on the Ohio. Be is yet a citizen of Ohio, living 402 - HISTORY OF CLERMONT COUNTY, OHIO. above New Richmond; and his brother, Andrew, is a pilot on the river. Several of the daughters married Daniel Light, Elisha Piper, and Newel E. Walton. In 1812, Robert Haines, a native of Frederick Co., Va., settled in Ohio, and in the war which soon followed was in command of a company of dragoons which marched against the Indians. For many years he was an associate judge, and was the first postmaster at New Richmond, He died May 25, 1844, leaving a widow who yet resides in the county, at the age of eighty-six years. Of his sons, Joseph C., the eldest, is a business man at New Richmond ; Philip Q. is an engineer at Keokuk, Iowa ; and Robert, who was an architect, died in 1866. The Donaldson family came to Ohio a little later, and has ever since been noted as one of the most intelligent and enterprising among the good citizens of the township. Special sketches of their lives appear in this book. John Crawford, a native of Pennsylvania, who had served in the campaign against the Indians and was one of the heroes of Tippecanoe, settled at New Richmond in 1812, and died there in 1856. He was one of the pioneer carpenters. Of his eleven children four yet reside at that place. Stephen Fennell, a Revolutionary soldier under Gen. Nathaniel Greene, was also a New Richmond pioneer. He was of Quaker parentage, and in the hour of trial his mother said, "If thee will go to defend the liberties of thy country never let thy mother hear that her son was wounded in the back,"—an admonition worthy of a place with the utterances of the heroic Spartan mothers. From this time on the settlement of Ohio was very rapid, and no further note of the pioneers can here be given ; but in the appended LIST OF PROPERTY-HOLDERS IN 1826 appear the names of many not otherwise noted in Ohio and Pierce townships. A prefixed asterisk indicates non-residence at the period named, many so marked afterwards becoming identified with the two townships. Ashburne John W., No. 847; Robert Beal, original proprietor. Ashburno Thomas, No. 847; Robert Beal, original proprietor. Applegate, Nancy. Archer, Chapman, No. 1763 ; Nathaniel Lucas, orig. prop. *Ashburn, Richard, No. 847; Robert Beal, orig. prop. *Avery, Henry, No. 1747; John Nancarrow, orig. prop. Behymer, Joseph, No. 1753; Nathaniel Lucas, orig. prop. Behymer, Samuel, No. 511; Robert Baylor, orig. prop. Behymer, Nathaniel, No. 1753 ; Nathaniel Lucas, orig. prop. Behymer, Barbary, No. 1753 ; Nathaniel Lucas, orig. prop. Behymer, John (2d), No. 1753; Nathaniel Lucas, orig. prop. Behymer, Samuel, Sr., No. 1753; Nathaniel Lucas, orig. prop. Behymer, John (3d). Behymer, William, No. 1753; Nathaniel Lucas, orig. prop. Bradburry, Jacob. Behymer, Jacob, No. 1753; Nathaniel Lucas, orig. prop. Behymer, Daniel, No. 1753; Nathaniel Lucas, orig. prop. Behymer, Joel, No. 1753; Nathaniel Lucas, orig. prop. Behymer, Benjamin. Bragdon, Jotham, No. 1671 ; Edward Stephens, orig. prop. Boothby, Josiah. Behymer, John (1st). Butler, Darius, No. 506; John Catlett, orig. prop. Butler, Abner, No. 506; John Catlett, orig. prop. Butler, Joseph, Nu. 506; John Catlett, orig. prop. Butler, Oliver, No. 506; John Catlett, orig. prop. Bennett, Moses, No. 506; John Catlett, orig. prop. Bacon, Nathan. Barber, Nathaniel, No. 847; Robert Beal, orig. prop. Brown, William A. Bainum, 1saac. Bennett, William. Brown, Joshua. Bettie, John Butler, Walter, No. 506; John Catlett; orig. prop. Bunner, Josiah, No. 1005 ; Benj. Biggs, orig. prop. Brunaugh, John. *Butler, John O., No. 506; John Catlett, orig. prop. *Bennett, James, No. 1134 ; Churchill Jones, orig. prop. *Bradburry, Gibbons, No. 1134; Churchill Jones, orig. prop. *Brown, John, No. 1761; Samuel McCraw, orig. prop. Cole, Benjamin. Cook, Greenberry. Cade, Thomas. Chapman, Zelch., No. 403; Geo. Washington, orig. prop. Cord, Richard, No. 1671 ; Edward Stephens, orig. prop. Custer, Christian, No. 511 ; Robert Baylor, orig. prop. Chapman, John, No. 403 ; George Washington, orig. prop. Clenney, Joseph. Cottam, John. Collard, Thomas, No. 847; Robert Beal, orig. prop. Carver, Ralph. Conner, Andrew. Cooper, William. Copp, Nathaniel P. Crawford, John. Cartright, James. Casteel, George. Cottam, Thomas. Coombs, Andrew, No. 506; John Catlett, orig. prop. Cox, John, No. 1160; John Crawford, original proprietor. Chapman, Rebecca, No. 1160 ; John Crawford, orig. prop. *Collins, William, No. 9608; William Collins, orig. prop. *Cleveland, Stephen B., No. 1761 ; Samuel McCraw, orig. prop. Draper, James. Donham, Amos. Donham, Robert, No. 400 ; Samuel Finley, orig. prop. Donham, Isaac. Darman, William. Donham, John, No. 514; William Davis, original proprietor. Donham, William, No. 1753; Nathaniel Lucas, orig. prop. Durham, Joshua. Durham, Huxford. Dillingham, Cornelius, No. 506 ; John Catlett, orig. prop. Downey, Amos. Donaldson, C. Donaldson, W. Davis, Dan. Dawson, William, No. 847; Robert Beal, original proprietor. Dunham, William, No. 1539; David Jackson, orig. prop. Dickinson, David, No. 437 ; John Dandridge, orig. prop. Donaldson, A. M. Donaldson, Francis, No. 437 ; John Dandridge, orig. prop. Dunham, John L., No. 274 ; William Green, orig. prop. Doane, Wm., No. 1134 ; Churchill Jones, original proprietor. Dillon, William. Dunham, Abel, No. 506; John Catlett, original proprietor. Draper, Samuel. Donaldson, Christian, Nu. 437 ; John Dandridge, orig. prop. *Dunn, Walter (executor), No. 261; William Fowler, orig. prop. *Doane, William, No, 506; John Catlett, original proprietor. *Donharn, Jonathan, No. 1760; Samuel McCraw, orig. prop. *Dunham, Joshua, No. 4243; John Taylor, orig. prop. Eppert, Jacob. Eppert, Frank. Eldridge, Dorcas. Emmerson, John. Erskine, Thomas. *Eppert, Frederick, No. 506 ; John Catlett, orig. prop. *Eldridge, Thomas, No. 646 ; Alex. Parker, orig. prop. *Ebersole, Christian, No. 403; Geo. Washington, orig. prop. Ferguson, James. Fagin, Joseph, No. 506; John Catlett, original proprietor. France, Michael, No. 1753; Nathaniel Lucas, orig. prop. Fred, Jacob, No.1753 ; Nathaniel Lucas, original proprietor. Ferguson, Isaiah, No. 1753; Nathaniel Lucas, orig. prop. French, Elisha. Ford, Richard. Fennell, Mahala. Ford, Martha. Fagin, Abner, No. 514; William Davis, original proprietor. *Fee, Robert, No. 1671 ; Edward Stephens, original prop. *Fagin, John, No. 514; William Davis, original proprietor. *Folger, David, No. 506; John Catlett, original proprietor. *Ferguson, 1saac, No. 151 7 ; Robert Jonite, original prop. *Fee, Thomas, No. 1671 ; Edward Stephens, original prop. Gordon, Irwin W. Greenleaf, William, No. 1677 ; Richard C. Anderson, orig. prop. Gray, John. Gilman, Daniel, No. 1753; Nathaniel Lucas, orig. prop. Gaskin, Thomas. Gilman, Ichabod, No. 4595; James Knox, orig. prop. Gray, Neeley, No. 506; John Catlelt, original proprietor. Groves, Godfrey. Glisson, Thomas. Gray, Hiram, No. 261 ; William Fowler, original proprietor. Gray, Andrew, No. 1760; Samuel McCraw, original proprietor. OHIO TOWNSHIP - 403 Gilman, Amos. *Gilman, Jonathan, No. 4595; James Knox, orig. prop. *Gilbert, Ebenezer, No. 414; William Davis, original prop. *Gillespie, Chloe, No. 274; William Green, orig. prop. Huff, Lewis, No. 1753; Nathaniel Lucas, original proprietor. Higbee, Isaac, Jr. Hickson, Amos. Hedger, John. Hair, Amos. Hall, Job. Hance, Elisha. Hayford, Samuel, No. 1160 ; John Crawford, original prop. Herron, James. Herron, William. Herring, Alexander, No. 722; David Stephenson, orig. prop. Herring, William. Haines, Robert, No. 847 ; Robert Beal, original proprietor. *Hunter, John, No. 637 ; William Taylor, original proprietor. *Hardin, Hiram, No. 847; Robert Beal, original prop. * Higbee, John, No. 403; George Washington, original prop. Iiams, Plumer. Iles, Robert. Irwin, John. Israele David. John, David, No. 1677; R. C, Anderson, original prop. Judkins, Jesse. Jernagen, David, No. 506; John Catlett, originat proprietor. Jeffries, John C., Jr. Jeffries, John C. Jellison, Samuel. John, Thomas, No. 4795; James Knox, original proprietor. John, William, No. 1677; R. C. Anderson, original prop. John, Samuel, No. 1677; R. C. Anderson, orig. prop. Ketchum, George. Kirgan, John, No. 511; R. Baylor, original proprietor. Kirgan, Thomas, No. 1753; Nathaniel Lucas, orig. prop. Kennedy, Thomas. Kerr, John. Ketchum, James. *Kirby, Timothy, No. 1517; Robert Jonitt, orig. prop. Laycock, Reuben, No. 514; William Davis, orig. prop. Lindsey, Hezekiah, No. 1763 ; Samuel Finley, orig. prop. Lower, John, No. 1753; Nathaniel Lucas, orig. prop. Littleton, Thomas, No. 1747 ; John Nancarrow, orig. prop. Long, Samuel. Leon, Solomon, No. 4795 ; James Knox, original proprietor. Light, Jacob, No. 1539; David Jackson, orig. prop. Light, Daniel, No. 437 ; John Dandridge, orig. prop. . Light, John, No. 1539; David Jackson, orig. prop. Lane, Nathan. Lindsey, William, No. 274; William Green, orig. prop. Leeds, Solomon, No. 506; John Catlett, orig. prop.   . Lindsey, Caleb, No. 1160; John Crawford, orig. prop. Lindsey, Edmund, No. 1160; John Crawford, orig. prop. Lewis, Elisha. *Loyd, Reuben, No. 637 ; William Taylor, orig. prop, *Lindsey, Stephen, No. 1753 ; Nathaniel Lucas, orig. prop. *Laycock, Nathan, No. 1760; Samuel McCraw, orig. prop. *Light, George C., No. 1539; David Jackson, orig. prop. Morgan, Enoch. Miller, H. C., No. 5580; Thomas Martin, orig. prop. McClellan, Thomas. Morin, Elizabeth. Mattox, Elijah, Sr. McFarland, Garrison. Medaris, Thomas No.1753 ; Nathaniel Lucas, orig. prop. McCord, Samuel, No. 4795 ; James Knox, orig. prop. Mattox, Elijah, Jr., No. 1671; Edward Stephens, orig. prop. Mattox, Tobias, No. 1671; Edward Stephens, orig. prop. Molden, James. McFarland, John. Moss, Levi. Manning, Thomas, No. 274; William Green, orig. prop. Malick, John, No. 4919; John Green, orig. prop. Myrick, Thomas, No. 506; John Catlett, orig. prop. *Morrell, Mary, No. 4795; James Knox, orig. prop. *Morin, Rodham, No. 437; John Dandridge, orig. prop. *Morgan, Samuel, No. 921; Richard J. Waters, orig. prop. *Miller, Thomas B., No. 12,495; Thomas B. Miller, orig. prop. Nash, James, No. 1671; Edward Stephens, orig. prop. Nash, Henry. Nash, William, No. 1671; Edward Stephens, orig. pron. Porter, Joshua, No. 1160 ; John Crawford, orig. prop. Pedend, Joseph. Placard, John. Parvin, Hosea, No. 1753; Nathaniel Lucas, orig. prop. Pompelly, John, No. 506; John Catlett, orig. prop. Pease, Martin, No. 536; John Catlett, orig. prop. Porter, Robert. Palmer, Seneca, No. 437; John Dandridge, orig. prop. Piper, David. Pierson, Willis, No, 274; William Green, orig. prop. Pease, Gorman M., No. 506; John Catlett, orig. prop. * Payne, John, No. 1753 ; Nathaniel Lucas, orig. prop. Richardson, John. Robb, James, No. 921 ; Richard J. Waters, orig. prop. Rinker, Samuel, No. 1753; Nathaniel Lucas, orig. prop. Robb, Peter, No. 1795; James Knox, orig. prop. Robb, William, No. 1795 ; James Knox, orig. prop. Reese, John, Sr., No. 506 ; John Catlett, orig. prop. Reese, John, Jr. Reese, Daniel. Reese, Elijah. Rathbone, Jonathan, No. 506; John Catlott, orig. prop. Richardson, Joshua, No. 506; John Catlett, orig. prop. Robinson, Thomas. Rogers, John G. Robb, Andrew. Ridlon, Samuel, No. 4795; James Knox, orig. prop. Ricker, John. Rice, Roach. Russel, Hugh. Randall, Joseph, No. 506 ; Joseph Catlett, original proprietor. Rardin, Win., Sr., No. 506; John Catlett, original proprietor. Rardin, William, Jr. *Richardson, Rufus, No. 506; John Catlett, orig. prop. Snider, Daniel. Snider, John, No. 5580; Thomas Martin, original proprietor. Scott, John G. Stoner, Joseph. Sweet, Jesse, No. 1753; Nathaniel Lueas, orig. prop. Swem, John. Short, Darcus, No. 511 ; Robert Baylor, original proprietor. Short, John, Jr. Short, John, Sr., No. 511 ; Robert Baylor, orig. prop. Short, Samuel, No. 511 ; Robert Baylor, original proprietor. Short, Isaac. Swain, Charles. Swem, Jacob. Sealy, Averilla. Stinchfield, Markland, No. 506; John Catlett, orig. prop. Sickler, Mathias. Sill, Joseph. Sapp, George. Sargent, James. Townsley, James. Trump, Sarah, No. 1763 ; Samuel Fialey, orig. prop. Tewel, Sanford, No. 506 ; John Catlett, orig. prop. Temple, William. Tritt, Joseph. Turner, Peter, No. 847; Robert Beal, original proprietor. Tibbitts, Samuel, No. 506; John Catlett, orig. prop. Temple, Ichabod, No. 506 ; John Catlett, orig. prop. *Temple, Robert, No. 1134 ; Churchill Jones, orig. prop. Trulup, Rachel, No. 1763; Samuel Finley, orig. prop. *Taylor, James, No. 6210; Lewis Thomas, orig. prop. Voris, Isaac. Wilson, Reuben. West, Thomas. Wagoner, John. Wood, James, No. 4795; James Knox, original proprietor. West, George. Wheeler, William. Wood, Nicholas, No. 1753; Nathaniel Lucas, orig. prop. West, Alfred. Walker, Caleb S., No. 847 ; Robert Goal, orig. prop. Wiles, John C. Wood, J. H. Williamson, Thomas. Watkins, William. Williamson, Joseph, No. 437 ; John Dandridge, orig. prop. Warren, James, No. 437 ; John Dandridge, orig. prop. Weeks, John, No. 1761 ; Samuel McCraw, orig. prop. Wheeler, Peleg, Wheeden, John, No. 274; William Green, orig. prop. Wheeden, Solomon, No. 506; John Catlett, orig. prop. Wilson, Porter. Wilson, Lube. Walker, John. White, David, No. 274; William Green, original proprietor. Ward, Elijah, No. 1753; Nathaniel Lucas, orig. prop. * Whippy, Davis, No. 1134 ; Churchill Jones, orig. prop. *Warren, John, No. 1134 ; . Churchill Jones, orig. prop. *Whittaker, Christian, No. 637; Wm. Taylor, orig. prop. *Ward, James, No. 637; William Taylor, orig. prop. *White, John, No. 637; William Taylor, orig. prop. *Ward, Nehemiah, No. 4795 ; James Knox, orig. prop. Yates, William. Young, David. In 1826 the number of acres in the township was reported as 25,620, valued at $106,111 ; and the total tax was $729.51. The number of horses was 318, worth $12,720 ; cattle, 610, worth $4880 ; and the capital invested in merchandising was $65,000. CIVIL ORGANIZATION. At the di vision of Clermont County, in February, 1801, Ohio was constituted one of the original townships, to embrace about half of the present township of Monroe, all 404 - HISTORY OF CLERMONT COUNTY, OHIO. that part of Batavia lying south of the East Fork, all of Union and Pierce, and its present territory, with the following officers : John Hunter, Constable and Lister of Taxes ; Archibald Graye Appraiser of Houses ; Ezekiel Dimmitt and Isaac Ferguson, Overseers of the Poor ; John Donham, Jacob Light, and John Vancation, Fence-Viewers; Ezekiel Dimmitt and John Fagin, Supervisors of Highways ; John Hunter, Archibald Gray, and William Whittaker, Auditors of Supervisor's Accounts. Of the early elections no records have been preserved, but at the election for county commissioners, April 2, 1804, when William Simonds and Samuel Lane acted as judges and Shadrach Lane was clerk, 37 votes were cast; and at the October election the same year, John Fagin, Jacob Ulrey, and William Abercrombie were the judges, and Robert Townsley and Samuel Shepard clerks, and the total number of votes was 26. A year later Morris Witham, James Ward, and William Abercrombie were the judges, Edward Miller and Robert Townsley the clerks ; and the following were the voters : George Fagin, John McCleary, John Morin, Patrick Fagin, Abel Donham, Nathan Nichols, Rodham Morin, John Snyder, Tophel Apple, John Day, William Apple, Jesse Swem, Chapman Archer, Hezekiah Lindsey, John Apple, Jacob Teal, Moses Broadwell, Henry Davis, Joseph Avey, Thomas Robinson, Daniel Husong, Joseph Beechmer, John Dillman, John White, Peter Emery, John Bennett, Jacob Whctston, James Gest, Robert Lane, Isaac Ferguson, James Bennett, Amos Don- ham, John Lovell, Elijah Williams, David John, Alexander Robb, Reuben Laycock, William Whittaker, Shadrach Lane, Christian Husong, James B. Kyle, Jacob Light, James Ward, William Abercrombie, Robert Townsley, Edward Miller, Daniel Light, Daniel Gilman, Morris Witham, Henry Fitzpatrick, James Fitzpatrick, Peter Pelser, Ezekiel Dimmitt, Edward Chapman, Nathan Laycock, Joseph Gest, John Donham, Aaron Fagin, Isaiah Ferguson, Robert Donham, William Beasley, Abraham Ridland, Thomas John, Zachariah Chapman, Nicholas Prickett, Archibald Gray, John John, William Lindsey, Samuel Loveless, and Joshua Brown. No recorded account of the annual township meetings is to be found prior to 1826. That year Thomas Kirgan, William A. Brown, and Abel Donham were elected Trustees; John C. Wylie, Clerk ; Israel Littleton and Robert Carver, Constables ; Joseph Peden, Treasurer ; Robert Iles and Thomas Glisson, Overseers of the Poor ; Robert Haines and Levi Moss, Fence-Viewers ; John Placard, Ichabod Gilman, William Donham, Chapman Archer, John Wagoner, Thomas West, Lewis Huff, Samuel Short, Frederick Eppert, William Lindsey, David White, Nathan Laycock, Hiram Gray, James Robb, and William Watkins, Road Supervisors. Since 1826 the following have been the principal officers of the township : TRUSTEES. 1827-28.--Abel Donham, John Crawford, James Robb. 1829.—Robert Denham, John Crawford, Thomas Kirgan. 1830.—David White, David Jones, Chapman Archer. 1831.—David White, David Jones, William Denham. 1832.—John Crawford, Joseph Stoner, Samuel Hayford. 1833-34.—John Crawford, Joseph Stoner, Abel Donham. 1835.—William Doane, Mark Strickland, Eben S. Ricker. 1836.—Andrew Coombs, Mark Strickland, Eben S. Ricker. 1837.—David Ross, Josiah Ferguson, Abel Dunham. 1838.—Samuel Robb, B. J. Ricker, John Crawford. 1839.—Robert Haines, David White, Johnson Wyatt. 1840.—Robert Haines, Samuet Hayford, Johnson Wyatt. 1841.—C. S. Walker, Samuel Hayford, Johnson Wyatt. 1842.—Robert Haines, Samuel Hayford, Johnson Wyatt. 1843.—John Swem, William Eppert, M. H. Davis. 1844-46.—John C. Smith, Henry E. Wilson, M. H. Davis. 1847-48.—John C. Smith, James Vale, M. B. Davis. 1849.—John Shaw, N. M. Preble, James John. 1850.—John Behymer, N. M. Preble, John C. Smith. 1851.--N. M. Preble, John Behymer, Josiah Banner. 1852.—John Swem, Daniel Behymer, William Shaw. 1853: John Shaw, J. B. Fleming, William Hobson. 1854.—John Connor, J. H. Hainnn), Charles Robb. 1855.—Johnson Wyatt, John B. Fleming, J. R. Tingley. 1856-58.—J. R. Corbley, William Hawkins, David Ross. 1859.—John W. Lindsey, D. A. Rees, Martia Ryan. 1860.—John W. Lindsey, F. C. Warren, Charles Burkhart. 1861.—John Terwilliger, F. C. Warren, Charles Burkhart. 1862.—John Terwilliger, Charles Cooder, John B. Fleming. 1863.—John W. Lindsey, F. C. Warren, John Hegner. 1864.—John W. Lindsey, J. C. Haines, Stephen Huber. 1865.—Charles Burkhart, J. C. Haines, Stephen Huber. 1866.—John W. Lindsey, J. C. Haines, Stephen Huber. 1867.—Joseph Clasgens, J. C. Haines, Henry Heise. 1868.—John W. Lindsey, J. C. Haines, J. J. Reinert. 1869-70.—J. R. Shaw, J. C. Haines, George Fisher. 1871-72.—Charles Wulf, J. C. Haines, A. J. Morin. 1873.—Charles Cooder, J. C. Haines, A. J. Morin. 1874.—J. R. Shaw, Wilson Barber, A. J. Morin. 1875.—J. R. Shaw, Frederick Helmering, A. J. Morin. 1878.—J. R. Shaw, R. Gee, A. J. Morin. 1877.—William Donaldson, Charles Burkhart, A. J. Morin. 1878.—William Donaldson, Charles Burkhart, J. R. Shaw. 1879.—William Donaldson, Frederick Helmering, J. R. Shaw. TOWNSHIP CLERKS. 1827, John C. Wylie; 1828-29, James H. Wood; 1830-31, Sanford Tewel; 1832, James Walker ; 1833-35, Sanford Tewel ; 1836, David Jones; 1837, Sanford Tewel; 1838, J. T. Johnson; 1830 -40, James H. Wood; 1841, G. T. Layfield ; 1842-46, William Hobson ; 1847-49, C. Mickel; 1850-51, E. S. Reakirt; 1852, N. M. Preble; 1853-54, Jesse Carnes; 1855-56, John McDonald; 1857, D. L. Stinchfield ; 1858-80, John McDonald; 1861, William A. Watkins; 1862, Thomas F. Donham; 1863-64, A. W. Coan; 1865-66, John McDonald; 1867-70, J. D. Aston ; 1871, A. J. Shaw; 1872, Thomas D. Hamilton; 1873-74, John W. Lennin ; 1875, C. T. Bainum; 1876-77, Jerome L. Stinchfield ; 1878, C. A. Lindsey; 1879, John W. Davis. TOWNSHIP TREASURERS. Joseph Peden, Levi Moss, William Carnes, JameS W. Morin, John Morin, Samuel Silver, E. R. Shannon, James H. Wood, G. T. Layfield, Caleb S. Walker, John Wagner, Joseph Peden, Hugh Gilmore, Samuel McKown, Hugh Gilmore, D. E. Fee, E. J. Bonham, J. F. M. Ely, E. R. Shannon, D. E. Fee. TOWNSHIP ASSESSORS. T. Nichols, C. S. Walker, E. B. Warren, H. F. Slade, William B. Fitzpatrick, L. D. Layfield, William A. Townsley, P. B. Young, W. B. Fitzpatrrck, David McCann, John V. Hunt, William B. Fitzpatrick. In 1826, on the second day of June, the trustees met at the house of J. C. Wylie, and agreed that the township tax for the ensuing year should be as follows : for township purposes, two-thirds of a mill on the dollar ; for poor purposes, one mill on the dollar. At the April meeting in 1868 the electors of Ohio township voted to build a township ball, and soon after the OHIO TOWNSHIP - 405 trustees voted to carry this resolution into effect, and April 23, 1870, levied a tax of one mill on the dollar for this purpose. In 1871 and 1872 levies of two mills were made for the same object, and in 1873 the taxation was increased to four mills. The fund assured, on the 8th of January, 1872, the trustees purchased lots Nos. 103 and 104, on Market Street, in New Richmond, which had been occupied for a cooperage by Charles Quigley, as a site on which to build the hall, adopting, Aug. 21, 1872, the plans and specifications for the edifice which had been prepared by J. F. Fisher. In response to bids for performing the work, Edwin House and George Fisher were awarded the contract, and about this time active operations were begun with a view ofsi completing the hall by the 4th of July, 1873. The foundation-walls are built of the limestone found in the hills of this part of the county, and are very firmly laid. On them are reared substantial walls of brick, wilh window caps and cornices of galvanized iron. The roof is of slate and is self-sustaining, the front being relieved by several small towers, whioh give the building a semi-Mansard appearance. The edifice is 102 feet long and 50 feet deep, and forms two stories and a basement. In the upper part is the elegant auditorium, whose dimensions are 47 by 65 feet, with a stage at one end 20 by 47 feet, and a gallery at the other 16 by 47 feet, giving it a seating capacity ample for 1000 persons. The room is more than 25 feet high, is well lighted, and has fine acoustic properties. The approaches to this room are by broad and easy stairways, whose sides, and, indeed, the entire hall, are neatly wainscoted. In the lower story, which is 14 feet high, are six rooms,-four 18 by 19 feet, and two 18 by 32 feet,- which are used for various township purposes ; and the basement is divided into ten rooms of 8 feet in height. The hall is heated by a good furnace, and is provided with a bell costing nearly $600. The building, with its site, furniture, etc., as it appears to-day, cost more than $30,000, and is the finest and most capacious township hall in this part of the State. It was appropriately opened to the public Feb. 18, 1874, when the assembled multitude were presided over by Mayor E. J. Donham, and P. J. Donham, of Cincinnati, Prof: Hancock, Dr. Kincaid, T. C. Gowdy, M. H. Davis, C. S. Walker, Frank Browninge P. J. Nichols, and others made addresses. Among other items of interest found in the records of the township is one pertaining to people of color, which is here produced verbatim : "TO THE PUBLIC. "The undersigned, Trustees and Overseers of the Poor of Ohio Township, hereby give notice that the duties required of them by the Act of the General Assembly of Ohio, entitled an Act to Regulate Black and Mulatto Persons,' and the acts amendatory thereto, wilt hereafter be rigidly enforced, and all Black and Mulatto Persons now resident of Ohio Township and who have immigrated to and settled within Ohio Township without complying with the requisitions of the first section of the amended act aforesaid, are enjoined that unless they enter into Bonds, as the said Act directs, witbin sixty days from this date, they may expect, at the expiration of that time, the law to be rigidly enforced. "And the undersigned would further insert herein, for the information of the citizens of Ohio Township, the third section of the Amendatory Act aforeSaid, as follows: 'That if any person, being a resident of this State, shall employ, harbor, or conceal any such Negro or Mulatto Person aforesaid, contrary to the provisions of the first section of this Act, any person so offending shall forfeit and pay for every such offense any sum not exceeding one hundred dollars, the one-half to the informant and the other half for the use of the poor of the Township in which such person may reside, to he recovered by action of debt before any court having eompetent jurisdiction ; and moreover be liable for the maintenanee and support of such Negro or Mulatto Persons, provided he, she, or they shall become unable to support themselves.' `The co-operation of the public is expected in carrying these laws to full effect. "NEW RICHMOND, July 15, 1829. " THOMAS KIRGAN, " ROBERT DONHAM, " JOHN CRAWFORD, " Trustees of Ohio Township. "C. S. WALKER, " WM. WATKINS, " Overseers of the Poor. "J. H. WOOD, Township Clerk." The township voted $50,000 to build a railroad through its territory, but the act being declared null, a railroad is now being built by individuals. Considerable money has been expended in the improvement of the highways, and a number of miles have been turnpiked. The roads of the township are in a good condition. HAMLETS AND VILLAGES. On the highlands north of the centre of the township is the hamlet of MOUNT PISGAH, containing a few dozen houses, and the usual attendants of a country trading-point, to which more importance attached formerly than at present. The hamlet was never regularly laid out, and has been built up in a somewhat straggling manner. There is a good school-house, and near by the Mount Pisgah Methodist Episcopal church. Samuel McLaughlin, a tailor, had a store here about 1830, and a few years later Z. & N. Huntington were in trade. They were succeeded by David White, Sr , and David Preble. Then came N. M. Preble and Abram Lindsey, who had also a large cooperage, from which circumstance the hamlet was locally called " Keg- town," a name which has not yet been wholly forgotten. In trade that firm was succeeded by Cyrus P. Hayford. and about the same time A. Doughty began merchandising at another stand, where he was succeeded by E. R. Dole. A number of other parties have been engaged in merchandising for short periods, but the place has no longer the trade it had years ago. ,The present store is kept by Wesley Calhoun, who has also the Mount Pisgah post-office. This office was established about 1840, with the name of Lisbon, Samuel Hayforth being the postmaster. In a few years it received the present name and N. M. Preble became postmaster ; in 1847, Cyrus P. Hayford ; 1866, M. S. Bird- sell ; 1867, J. A. Warren ; 1869, M. S. Birdsell ; 1873, David Lindsey ; 1875, B. Behymer, followed by the present incumbent. Near this place the pioneer physician was Dr. Joshua Porter, and later practitioners were Drs. Brooks, Murphy, and Tracy, the place being at present without a physician. On the same highway, near the north line of the township, is the small but pleasant hamlet of LINDALE, whose post-office was formerly called Lyndon. On the death of the former postmaster, Joseph T. Wheeler, his widow, Susanna L. Wheeler, was appointed to take charge of the office, which, like the Mount Pisgah office, is supplied with a daily mail from New Richmond to Batavia. 406 - HISTORY OF CLERMONT COUNTY, OHIO Before 1830, Seth Maker was engaged in merchandising in this locality, and was followed by Andrew Coombs and his son Andrew, the latter finally carrying on the trade on his own account, and as an associate of Joseph T. Wheeler, whose family is yet in trade. Stores have also been kept at this place by Messrs. Dillon, Swem, Tracy, and Miller. In the northern part of the hamlet was formerly a collar- and harness-factory and a tannery by J. L. Donham ; and Charles Butler formerly had here a large cooperage, while the usual mechanic-shops have been carried on by Samuel Hayforth, George W. Peoples, Joseph Malick, and others. Attention has been paid to the medical art by Drs. Samuel Tibbetts, J. S. Galloway (who had a hygienic home for the treatment of patients), and the present Dr. J. A. Windsor. In the township of Monroe, near Lindale, are the steam- mills operated by W. C. Coombs. They were erected in 1859, by E. B. Warren, as a saw-mill, the grinding apparatus being supplied at a later period. The Lindale Baptist church is south of the hamlet. Outside of the hamlets of Ohio* and the village of New Richmond have been manufacturing industries, among the most important being the mill of Daniel Light, built on Twelve-Mile Creek, about a mile above its mouth, at an early day. It was three stories high, of hewed logs, and was next operated by James. Warren, by whose name it was better known. On the same stream above were the stone mills of the Robb family, put up about 1826. In later years cotton-machinery was operated in the fourth story. The mill had a large capacity, and in 1839 steam- power was supplied by Samuel Robb. After 1860 but little was done here, and the mills are at present idle. Two miles and a half above, on the same stream, were the mills and distillery of John Donham, at present in Monroe township. After twenty years' operation some of the buildings were destroyed by fire. Samuel Morgan, William Shaw, William Nichols, and others had saw-mills in the township, but as the water-power became too feeble, they have long since passed away, and in many instances but little is left to mark their former location. In the preceding pages the Hon. John Shaw gives an interesting account of the early pioneer mills and the difficulty the settlers had to provide themselves with flour. NEW RICHMOND. This is the largest and most flourishing village in the county. It has a superior location on the Ohio, about twenty miles above Cincinnati, on a large and fertile plain, which slopes gently towards the river, which here forms a beautiful stream. North and east are the handsomest uplands in the county, containing many fine improvements ; and on the opposite shore are the beautiful hills of Kentucky, whose almost perpetual green, with their modest farm-houses and luxuriant fruit-fields, are in striking contrast with active, bustling New Richmond. The village is located upon Robert Bears survey, No. 847, and David Jackson's survey, No. 1539, the former entered on the 3d of June, 1778, for 1000 acres, and the latter, the same date, for 333 acres. The Jackson survey became the property of Jacob Light in 1804, and upon 85 acres of it he laid out, from Sept. 19 to Sept. 22, 1814, the original village of New Richmond. It is said that the plat was made by a nephew of Mr. Light, who had formerly resided at Richmond, Va., and who suggested the name in compliment to his old home. It embraced 219 lots of one-fourth of an acre each, 6 streets of 60 feet width, and one 33 feet wide. These streets were laid out parallel with the river, or at right angles, forming regular squares. Lots 98 and 99 were set aside for the use of the public. The Beal survey having become the property of Gen. William Lytle, in 1813 he conveyed 875 acres thereof to Thomas Ashburn, who, in February, 1816, laid out that part adjoining the upper side of New Richmond as the village of Susanna, the name being given in honor of his wife. The plat was the most elaborate one ever recorded in the county, and embraced many novel features. It comprised 494 in-lots and 292 out-lots, a number of which were reserved for specific purposes ; and if the liberal projects of the proprietor had been carried out, Susanna would undoubtedly have become the handsomest village in the State. As it is, some of his wise provisions have become the leading characteristics of the present beautiful village of New Richmond. Among the principal features were a promenade on the banks of the Ohio, no less than one hundred feet wide, which was to be kept open for the purposes of ornament and recreation. This promenade yet exists. Five hundred and sixty feet of land, to be called Union Square, were to be kept open forever, for the same purpose as the above. The Crescent, a public space, whose chord was 240 feet, was to be kept open forever. Richmond and Raymond Courts, each 210 feet long and 120 feet broad, were ever to be sacred for the use of the public. A public market-place was to occupy an area of 210 by 400 feet. A large out-lot on Belle Air Street was reserved for the reception of buildings, to be erected of brick or stone, for the accommodation of a Lancaster school or other seminary of learning of a higher nature which might first be established. " But in neither case shall such institution be under the exclusive direction or control of any particular religious sect or association ; nor shall its benefits be confined ; but, on the contrary, be extended and free to youths of every religious persuasion, without exception•" Any grounds remaining after the buildings had been erected were to be laid out for the public walks of the pupils. Out-lots Nos. 33 and 35 were to be used for burial purposes, the interment of the dead within the village proper being especially forbidden. In-lots Nos. 110 and 111 were offered as a bonus to a suitable person who would erect a spacious hotel of brick or stone thereon. In-lot No. 302 was to be a donation for the accommodation of a public circulating library, to be conveyed in perpetuity to any association of persons, legally incorporated, who should erect thereon the necessary buildings of brick or stone for the accommodation of the library. In-lots 204 and 237 were reserved as places of worship, for the perpetual use of any two distinct religious societies, of different persuasions, who should erect thereon meeting-houses of brick or stone. The streets were wide, to be in harmony with the liberal views of Mr. Ashburn, and every provision was made for the comfort and welfare of those who should become residents of the village, which, in 1828, lost its OHIO TOWNSHIP - 407 identity through legislative. enactment, becoming at that time a part of the incorporated village of New Richmond ; and to conform to the new order of things the lots of the former two villages were renumbered as a whole, and the area of the village subsequently increased by additions. George McMurchy made an addition on May 3, 1849, of 208 lots. Sept. 6, 1850, David W. Dickinson laid out 10 lots in John Dandridge's survey, No. 437, adjoining the village. May 3, 1851, David Jones another one of 30 lots, and on Dec. 10, 1851, Martin Ryan made a subdivision by taking ten feet off of the back end of 9 old lots, 672 to 680, adjoining Market place, and making an alley fifteen feet wide between these old lets from 345 to 363. Sept. 25, 1852, Benjamin Light made an addition of 11 lots. May 24, 1833, another of 4 lots, including one acre for James Kratzer's brewery ; and Aug. 8, 1856, another of 33 lots. Isaac Bonham subdivided lots 78, 79, 56, and 57, into nine lots ; and the last addition was by Peter Light, on April 8, 1874, of 32 lots. Suburban additions, on non-platted lots, have further increased the area of New Richmond until its length along the Ohio is nearly two miles. The growth of the village has not been remarkable, but has been the steady course of vigorous life, flowing on to prosperity and importance, until there are to-day nearly 3000 inhabitants, numerous churches, fine public buildings, handsome residences, and the business adjuncts noted in the following pages. At the public sale of village lots, the proprietor, Jacob Light, offered to deed the lot in fee-simple on which the purchaser should erect the first shingle-roofed house. James Warren, a tanner, had purchased a fine lot containing a spring, on which he at once began to build a log house, prosecuting the work with so much activity that he won the prize. The ruins of this house may yet be seen at the steam tannery. Mr. Warren had a competitor in Robert Haines, who built a house on Front Street, which was for many years a prominent landmark. He alleged that the reason Warren had finished his house first was because he worked by moonlight, while he limited his efforts to the daytime. In this house, on Front Street, was kept the first tavern at New Richmond, and also the first post-office. In May, 1816, there were in the old village of New Richmond two cabins, seven hewed-log houses, and seven] two-story frames on Front Street, which remained many years. In the summer and fall of that year many improvements were made, and the village soon had among its citizens representatives of all classes and trades. As near as can be recollected the first in every avocation were the following: Plummer Jams and David Jones, storekeepers, the former being also the first to sell drugs and the latter to manufacture tobacco ; Robert Haines, tavern-keeper and potter; James Warren, tanner ; John Crawford, carpenter; Samuel Jellison, tailor ; Thomas Ghsson, shoemaker ; Benjamin Morris and P. Turner, harness-makers; C. S. Walker, nail-maker ; Thomas Williamson, wool-carder ; Jonathan McClure, blacksmith ; Samuel Irons, brickmaker ; Charles W. Swain, painter; Nathaniel Currey and John Reakirt, cabinet-makers; Robert Ehrhart, chair-maker ; Seneca Palmer and J. C. Jeffries, Jr., wheelwrights ; J. C. Jeffries, Sr., mason ; Thomas Douglas and Joseph Israel, engineers; John and James Atkinson, distillers ; J. C. Wyle, cloth- dresser ; David Ross, baker ; William McDonald, J. Sapp, and C. W. Swain, school-teachers; J. G. Rogers and Z. Green, physicians. Davis Embree was the first to employ steam-power in the village. In that part of New Richmond which was formerly Susanna, lived, in the spring of 1816, Andrew Conner, the father of Capt. John Conner and Andrew Conner, Jr., and the proprietor of the village, Thomas Ashburn, and his son-in-law, Nathaniel Barber, who was the first resident carpenter. That summer Ashburn erected the large brick house on Augusta Street, which yet stands there in good condition, and which was his home until his death, in 1826. He was born in Lancashire, England, July 11, 1769, and although reared as a farmer became a cotton manufacturer. This occupation he followed until the restrictive policy of Napoleon Bonaparte, at the beginning of the present century, caused his failure. In 1805 he emigrated to America, settling first near Cincinnati. In 1814 he took up his residence on his fine pdrchase at New Richmond. He was the father of Richard Ashburn, lately deceased, and the grandfather of Judge Thomas Q. Ashburn, of Batavia, and his brother, residing near New Richmond. The pioneers in the various avocations at Susanna were Samuel and Daniel Huey, storekeepers ; Robert Davis and William Watkins, wagon-makers ; James Walker, wood- turner ; Joseph Durham, cooper ; David Piper, brick- maker ; Richard Ashburn, bricklayer ; H. Bainum and S. Amebun, machinists and blacksmiths ; William Ross, gunsmith ; George Myers and Aquilla Smith, hatters ; Amos Downey, cabinet-maker; John Anderson, miller (ox-power); J. Bainum and W. M. Bennett, shoemakers; Emanuel Grubb, millwright; Joseph Emerson, river-trader ; John Emerson and N. Capp, watch-makers ; and David Gibson, distiller. At what is now New Richmond Plummer Jams and William Hobson were the first justices of the peace. In 1837 the owners of houses and shops were Nancy Applegate, William Bowles, William Bennett, John Beagle, Josiah Bettie, John Crawford, Judson Calhoun, Daniel Carroll, William H. Collins, T. & C. Donaldson, J. S. Donham, William Dawson, D. NV. Dickerson, Mary Daily, Joseph Fagin, Thomas Glisson, Samuel Goble, F. Herbert, Robert Haines, J. T. Johnston, Thomas Kinnelly, Daniel Light, Jacob Light (heirs), George C. Light, William G. Laycock, John Light, Isaac Laycoek, Johnson McCormick, Levi Moss, John Morin, J. S. Morris, Benjamin Morris, H. Nichols, Samuel Powers, R. Porter, Daniel Parker, Martin Ryan, Samuel Ridlin, J. G. Rogers, John Reakirt, B. Robb, Mark Strickland, J. Q. Searle, James Snider, Thomas Speakman, Peter Snider, Elisha Spencer, George Sweet, Tingley & Bettle, J. Tremper, Sanford Tewell, Abel Towner, C. S. Walker, Jas. H. Wood, William Watkins, J. G. Birney, Isaac Barnum, W. M. Bennett, N. Barber, Henry Barkley, John Conner, Andrew Conner, T. B. Collard, Wilham Carnes, E. R. Day, A. Downey, J. Durham, William Dawson, R. Davis (heirs), R. Denham, Josiah Donham, T. Elstun, L. Hardin, William Hobson, It. Iles, J. T. Johnson, David Ross, Andrew Ross, E. R. Shannon, Jacob Swem, Johnson Tremper, H. M. Sturges, S. W. Walraven, W. Watkins. 408 - HISTORY OF CLERMONT COUNTY, OHIO.   MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT. Under a special act of the General Assembly, passed Jan. 11, 1828, the villages of New Richmond and Susanna were vested with corporate powers ; and the body politic thus constituted was to be known and distinguished by the name of the " Town Council of the town of New Richmond," the identity of Susanna being thereafter lost in its more successful rival, New Richmond, which is the only name that appears in the municipal history of these two former villages. The first officers elected under the village charter were J. T. Johnston, Mayor ; Charles W. Swain, Recorder ; Peter Turner, Levi Moss, Nathaniel Barber, William Watkins, and Thomas Williamson, Trustees. The council appointed Robert Porter Treasurer, and John M. Foster Marshal ; Thomas Glisson, David Ross, William Dawson, Supervisors of Streets ; and Dr. J. G. Rogers, Health Officer. Thus organized the council was ready for business, and one of its first acts was to borrow $10 to defray the current expenses of the village. The compensation of the recorder was fixed at five cents per hundred words. A rule was made " that the citizens of the village be permitted to sit as spectators in the council-rooms during time of business, except when the council may deem it necessary to sit with closed doors." One of the first ordinances of the village prohibited the shooting of guns in the village bounds, but it appears that Councilman Peter Turner himself violated this law, and on being fined $2, became disgusted with the municipal government and resigned his office. The vacancy was filled by Thomas Kinnelly. The ordinance prohibiting shooting caused Wilham Ross, the gunsmith, to ask for permission to test his firearms within the limits of the corporation, and a committee was appointed to investigate his case, who reported an exception in his favor, and a special ordinance was enacted, giving him liberty to shoot against the old ox-mill. The running at large of sows with young pigs being an eye-sore to some people, an ordinance was passed to restrain them ; but the innovation was so great that it was soon repealed, and for many years they roamed at will. The mayor resigning at the end of a few months, C. S. Walker was appointed to fill the vacancy, and accepted " upon being assured that there would be no serious objection to such an act by the mnjority of the people." At the end of the first year the treasurer reported that the total receipts had been $104.78, and the expenditures within $9.50 of that amount. In ontrast with this report the treasurer fifty years later (in 1879) reported that the total receipts had been $6168.47, and the disbursements for the same fiscal year $5110.26. The balance has been appropriated to the payment of outstanding bonds, and New Richmond is to-day free from debt. For the past year (1879) the rate of taxation was four mills on the dollar, and the general expenditures have been : for general purposes, $745.78 ; for police and jail, $215.65 ; for wharf, $56.30 ; for improvement of streets, $399.20 ; for lighting streets, $514.51 ; for salaries, $176.75; and for fire department, $183.75. In July, 1829, a petition was presented praying for a market-house upon the site formerly occupied by the courthouse, which was lost ; and the question as to site was the same 'booth submitted to the people, who voted 41 to 28 . to have the market-house erected on lots 98 and 99, which had been set aside for this purpose by Jacob Light. Subscriptions for building the market-house were solicited, and Dan Davis, John Crawford, and Levi Moss were appointed to build it as soon as sufficient funds had been secured. At the meeting held Jan. 8, 1830, an ordinance was passed for the better regulation of the sale of salt, after which the mayor asked for leave of absence, stating that he wished to go to Cincinnati if a steamboat should pass. His request was granted, and at the same meeting the council voted to procure one fire-hook and three ladders to be used in case of fire; and Capt. John Connor was appointed to organize a hook-and-ladder company. The market-house committee did not seem to make much progress, and in 1831, on the petition of many citizens, it was decided to build a house with the corporation funds. In 1832 one of the trustees neglected to attend the meetings of the council, and " it was resolved to fine him fifty cents for each total absence." In 1834 the council was still legislating about the market-house, and appointed Thomas Kinnelly, Benjamin Morris, and W. R. Price a building committee. But not until a few years later was the market-house so fur completed that it could be occupied. In 1843 it was placed in charge of the marshale who was empowered to collect 121 cents per week from every person occupying a stall for the sale of meats, etc. The council also ordered " that the gates be secured in a proper way to prevent as far as may be hogs or other animals lodging in it." The market-house yet stands, but has ceased to be used for market purposes. At a number of meetings prior to 1846 ordinances were passed relative to the wharves of the village, but March 9, 1846, the first action for the establishment of a wharf- boat was taken, and Samuel Powers and J. R. Tingley were appointed a committee to draw up an ordinance to keep a boat at Quarry Street wharf. At the same meeting Martin Ryan, Milton Kennedy, and J. G. Rogers were appointed a committee to draw up an ordinance " to prevent conduct caused by retailing ardent spirits contrary to law." In 1849, William McGuire was elected " to take charge of the fire-engine, and fix the engine-room so that the boys can't get in." In June, 1850, a contract was entered into to build a council-room and watch-house. In June, 1850, the council decided to purchase a new fire-engine, fully one-half of the cost of which was to be defrayed by individual subscriptions, and appointed Watts McMurchy and C. W. Short a committee to dispose of the old machine and procure a new engine. The following year McMurchy & Preble built a watch- and engine-house for $800. The engine was placed in charge of the " Union Fire Company." In 1862 an ordinance was passed submitting the annexation of McMurchy's addition to the people, thus extending the corporate limits of New Richmond, and the same year OHIO TOWNSHIP - 409 liberal appropriations were made for the relief of the families of enlisted Union soldiers. On the 20th of September, 1869, a loan of $2000 was authorized to purchase a fire-engine and other apparatus, and on the 8th of October of the same year an ordinance was passed establishing a fire department and making provision for a board of engineers, to consist of a chief engineer, vested with police powers, two assistant engineers, and two members of the common council, serving as a fire committee. On the 17th of December, 1869, the first board of engineers was constituted, with G. W. Majors chief engineer, Henry Fisher and A. S. Pigman assistant engineers, and N. M. Preble and Joseph Glasgens acting for the council. The latter were instructed to provide a proper place for the keepiUg of the new engine, and as the old hall was deemed unworthy of repairs, the committee was asked to prepare plans for a new hall and engine-rooms. It was not, however, until 1876 that the resolution was carried into effect, when the old hall (which was formerly the village school building) was demolished, and upon its site the present three-story edifice erected, the upper story having been built by Mistletoe Lodge of Odd-Fellows. The second story forms a general assembly-room, and in the lower story are the engine-room, corporation offices, and cells for the confinement of prisoners. In February, 1871, an ordinance was passed establishing a general system of wharfage and providing for the appointment of a wharf-master. Previous to this the work of grading the river-bank had been begun by the village authorities, to secure it from the action of the waves, and the place has now a number of fine wharves and well-graded banks. More than $10,000 has been spent in this direction. Dec. 7, 1871, an ordinance was passed establishing a board of health, and on the 11th of January, 1872, the first members were appointed, as follows : Thomas F. Donham, Edwin House, R. A. Molyneaux, W. H. Moss, George Fisher, and T. C. Gowdy. Large sums of money have been spent in improving the street, both in grading them and in laying down stone and brick pavements. In this respect few villages in the State surpass New Richmond, and the sanitary condition of the village has been much improved by these means, The streets are also well lighted by oil-lamps, and the public grounds, embracing a beautiful promenade along the river and a spacious park near the hills in the eastern part of the village, have been greatly beautified and rendered attractive as places of resort. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OF NEW RICHMOND assures the inhabitants against the ravages of that destroying element, and the several companies formed to man the apparatus alluded to in the foregoing pages have had effective organizations which have lately been allowed to become inoperative. The oldest of the fire companies, the Union Fire and Hose Companies, were formed Nov. 20, 1850, to assume charge of the engine " Pilot" and the hose-carriage " Red Rover." Fifty-one men were 'enrolled as members, and were officered by De Witt C. Johnston, Hugh H. Herrick, Charles S. Houston, G. W. Hurley, and A. W. Short. The fire apparatus which this company had is yet employed in New Richmond, and is at present manned by a company of colored men. To man the engine " New Richmond," purchased in 1869, the " Niagara Fire Company" was formed Jan. 25, 1870, with W. A. Watkins, Captain ; William Hera, First Lieutenant ; Charles Sturges, Second Lieutenant ; C. W. Dawson, Secretary ; T. B. Preble, Treasurer ; Peter McCormick and F. A. Hitch, Engine Directors; James McCormick and Charles Dimmitt, Axemen ; D. E. Roberts and Thomas McCann, Pipemen ; James Ewing, O. R. Taylor, George Shannon, Edward Watson, Lyman House, Thomas Castlen, S. T. Harvey, and Lewis Golsch, Hose- men ; Monroe Fitzpatrick and A. Moser, Jr., Directors of Hose-reel. The company has lately been disbanded. VILLAGE OFFICERS. Since 1828 the village officers have been the following: 1829.—Mayor, Caleb S. Walker; Recorder, Charles W. Swain ; Trustees, Nathaniel Barber, William Watkins, Daniel Davis, John Crawford; Treasurer, r. Porter; Marshal, Samuel Ridlin ; and Health Offreer, Dr. J. G. Rogers. 1830.—Mayor, David Jones ; Recorder, John C. Wylie; Trustees, John Conner, Charles S. Lewis, Robert Haines, John Emerson, Thomas Glisson ; Treasurer, Robert Porter; Marshal, Alexander Ross; and Health Officer, Dr. J. G. Rogers. 1831.—Mayor, David Junes; Reeorder, Charles W. Swain; Trustees, John Crawford, Mark Strickland, David Ross, John Emerson, and Lewis Fagin ; Treasurer, R. Porter; and Health Officer, Dr. J. G. Rogers. 1832.—Mayor, Plummer rams; Recorder, Sanford Tewel ; Trustees, David Ross, Mark Strickland, William Watkins, Judson Calhoun; Treasurer, J. H. Wood; Marshal, Reuben S. Searle; and Health Officer, Levi Moss. 1833.—Mayor, William Watkins; Recorder, W. R. Price; Trustees, Thomas Donaldson, Joseph Durham, Mark Strickland, Judson Calhoun, and Emanuel Grubb; Treasurer, Robert Porter; and Marshal, Reuben S. Searle, 1834.—Mayor, David Jones; Recorder, W. R. Price; Trustees, E. Grubb, William Watkins, David Mann, Martin Ryan, and Thomas Kinnelly ; Treasurer, James Walker; and Marshal and Wharf-Master, Alexander Ross. 1835.—No records kept. 1836.—Mayor, Martin Ryan; Recorder, J. H. Wood; Trustees, E. Grubb, John Conner, Joseph Morehead, Robert Haines, and J. G. Rogers; Treasurer, Robert Porter; and Marshal, Henry Hess. 1837.—Mayor, Robert Her; Recorder, Sanford Tewel ; Trustees, William Rawson, Jacob Swom, David Ross, Joseph Durham, Abel Turner ; Treasurer, William Watkins; Marshal, William G. Laycock ; and Health Officer, J. G. Rogers. 1838.—Mayor, John C. Jeffries ; Reeorder, Sanford Tewel ; Trustees , E. R. Shannon, William Carnes, N. Walton, F. Herbert, and Abel Towner ; Treasurer, Robert Porter; and Health Officer, Milton Kennedy. 1839.—Mayor, John C. Jeffries; Recorder, David Jones; Trustees, William Watkins, Joseph Durham, David Ross, John Crawford, Joseph Turner; Treasurer, Robert Porter; and Marshal, Isaac Layfield. 1840.—Mayor, Josiah Bettie; Recorder, David Jones; Trustees, John Atkinson, Martin Ryan, Samuel Powers, Charles McCoy, John Crawford; Treasurer, George T. Layfield; and Mar she], Michael H. Davis. 1841.—Mayor, Josiah Bettie; Recorder, George T. Layfield ; Trustees, John Atkinson, E. R. Shannon, Bennett French, Hiram Gray, Sr., Christopher Cooder, William Hobson ; Treasurer, William Carnes; and Marshal, Milton Kennedy. 1842.---Mayor, Josiah Bettle ; Recorder, George T. Layfield ; Trustees, B. H. French, Hiram Gray, F. Herbert, William Sturges, 410 - HISTORY OF CLERMONT COUNTY, OHIO. and William Hobson ; Treasurer, James H. Wood ; and Marshal, Robert McCallister. 1843.—Mayor, Josiah Bettie; Recorder, C. S. Walker ; Trustees, Robert Haines, Levi Moss, Michael H. Davis, Freeman Elston, Wm. Hobson ; Treasurer, James H. Wood ; Marshal, H. F. Slade ; Wharf-Master, John B. Day. 1844.—Mayor, Charles McCoy ; Recorder, Thomas C. Dowdy; Trustees, Michael H. Davie, Samuel Walraven, Jacob Tingley, Firman Herbert, Hezekiah Lindsey; Treasurer, James H. Wood ; Marshal, H. F. Slade. 1845.—Mayor, M. H. Davis ; Recorder, J. R. Tingley ; Trustees, S. M. Walraven, F. Herbert, C. S. Walker, Hiram Gray, Samuel Powers; Treasurer, Robert Porter ; Marshal, John B. Day. 1846.—Mayor, M. H. Davis; Recorder, Jacob R. Tingley ; Trustees, Martin Ryan, Samuel Powers, Robert Flower, Milton Kennedy, John C. Rogers; Treasurer, Robert Porter; Marshal, Joshua Silvers. 1847.—Mayor, Josiah Bettie; Recorder, C. S. Walker; Trustees, J. D. White, J. H. Gravy, Christopher Cooder, J. F. Lindsey, Hezekiah Lindsey ; Treasurer, Robert Porter; Marshal, H. F. Slade. 1848.—Mayor, J. R. Tingley ; Recorder, J. C. Haines; Trustees, Samuel Silvers, James Watson, B. H. French, M. H. Davis, and Milton Kennedy ; Treasurer, E. R. Shannon. 1849.—Mayor, Josiah Bettie; Recorder, David Ross ; Trustees, W. E. McGuire, Samuel Silvers, Christopher Cooder, E. R. Shannon, David Gibson; Treasurer, Robert Porter; Marshal, John Phillips. 1850.—Mayor, N. M. Preble; Recorder, Wm. Reakirt; Trustees, S. Silvers, John Lindsey, Isaac Bainum, Win. Shaw, and J. R. Tingley ; Treasurer, Wrlliam Hobson; Marshal, H. F. Slade. 1851.—Mayor, N. M. Preble; Recorder, J. R. Tingley ; Trustees, 1saac Bainum, John Lindsey, John B. Day, E. R, Shannon, and William Shaw ; Treasurer, Samuel Walraven ; Marshal, Robert H. Dows. 1852.—Mayor, N. M. Preble; Recorder, J. R. Tingley ; Trustees, John B. Day, G. T. Layfield, Oliver Cooder, Samuel Silvers, and William Shaw ; Treasurer, S. M, Walraven; Marshal, C. W. Short ; and Wm. H. Moss, Street Commissioner. 1853.—Mayor, N. M. Preble; Recorder, Jesse Carnes; Trustees, E. R. Shannon, G. T. Layfield, T. C. Dowdy, Joshua Silvers, and J. B. Day ; Treasurer, H. Gilmore; Marshal, T. B. Young. 1854,—Mayor, J. H. Bainum ; Recorder, Jesse Carnes ; Trustees, G. T. Layfield, C. Cooder, James Watson, John Dimmitt, C. W. Short ; Treasurer, H. Gilmore; Marshal, Thomas Green. 1855.—Mayor, Samuel Anderson ; Recorder, Jesse Carnes ; Trustees, C. W. Short, Samuel Silvers, J. B. Day, J. R. Tingley, and John McDonald; Treasurer, G. T. Layfield ; Marshal, Thos. Green; Street Commissioner, Samuel Peden. 1856.—Mayor, N. M. Preble; Recorder, D. L. Stinchfield ; Trustees, David Ross, John B. Day, Samuel Silvers, Oliver Cooder, and E. R. Shannon; Treasurer, Hugh Grlmore; Marshal, T. B. Young; Health Officer, N, M. Preble. 1857.—Mayor, Joshua Sims; Recorder, D. L. Stinchfield ; Trustees, P. J. Donham, M. H. Davis, T, B. Young, N. M. Preble, T. Roberts; Treasurer, Hugh Gilmore ; Marshal, A. Delano; Health Officer, S. M. Walraver. 1858.—Mayor, J. R. Tingley ; Recorder, J. McDonald; Trustees, Samuel Silvers, William Reakirt, J. B. Day, N. M. Preble, P. J, Donham. 1859.—Mayor, Joshua Sims; Recorder, John McDonald ; Trustees, C. W. Short, J. B. Day, N. H. Preble, Watts McMurchy, Joseph Tritt ; Treasurer, Hugh Gilmore; Marshal, W. B. Fitzpatrick ; Health Officer, James Watson. 1860.—Mayor, James H. Hainan); Recorder, Jesse Carnes; Trustees, Watts McMurchy, William Reakirt, J. H. Gray, J. R. Ting- Icy, and Charles Wulf: Treasurer, E. R. Shannon ; Marshal, L. M. Sturges; Health Officer, James Hunt. 1861.—Mayor, James H. Bainum ; Recorder, D. L. Stinchfield; Trustees, William Reakirt, James H. Gray, Charles Wulf, Henry Kidd, and Charles Cooder ; Treasurer, E. R. Shannon; Marshal, Isaac Watson; Health Officer, James Young. 1862.—Mayor, Joshua Sims; Recorder, D. L. Stinchfield; Trustees, Charles Condor, A. Ness, James Cahill, E. J. Morton, and Charles Wulf; Treasurer, H. Gilmore; Marshal, IV. B. Fitzpatrick; Health Officer, James Young. 1863.—Mayor, David Ross ; Recorder, A. W. Coan ; Trustees, G. W. Castlen, George Moore, J. J Reinert, J. D. White, James Watson, Jr.; Treasurer, E. R. Shannon ; Marshal, H. F. Slade ; Health Officer, 0. R. Elston. 1864.—Mayor, David Ross ; Recorder, A. W. Conn ; Trustees, W. O. Moore, J. J. Reinert, Stephen Jackson, J. D. White, and A. S. Pigman ; Treasurer, E. R. Shannon; Marshal, David McLean ; Health Officer, Martin Ryan. 1865.—Mayor, P. J. Nichols; Recorder, Jesse Carnes ; Trustees, W. G. Moore, G. W, Castlen, Watts McMurchy, A. Schroem, and J. J. Reinert ; Treasurer, E. R. Shannon ; Marshal, W. B. Fitzpatrick ; Health Officer, Stephen Jackson. 1869.—Mayor, P. J. Nichols ; Recorder, Frank Davis; Trustees, W. C. Sargent, J. S. Weidinger, Joseph Glasgens, N. M. Preble, and Henry Jenks; Treasurer, E. R. Shannon. 1870.—Mayor, James H. Bainum ;* Recorder, A. Moser ,* Trustees, S. McKown, L. Golsch, F. C. Smith, John B. Day, Stephen Jaekson, and N. M. Preble ; Treasurer. E. It. Shannon ; Marshal, George W. McClelland; Health Officer, George Ewing. 1871.—Mayor, C. W. Short ; Recorders, Samuel McKown, William Sturges, and A. S. Pigman ; Trustees, John V. Hunt, Charles Stevens, Charles Wulf. 1872.—Mayor, C. W. Short; Recorder, ,J. V. Hunt; Trusteeso M. V. Peck, A. S. Pigman, and L. Golsch ; Treasurer, E. R. Shannon ; Marshal, T. G. Wood. 1873.—Mayor, William Sturges, W. A. Watkins, and Johnson Tremper. E. J. Donham, Mayor, to fill vacancy. 1874.—Mayor, N. M. Preble; Recorder, D. R. Scatterday ; Trustees , J. H. Glasgens, Joseph Kolb, and A. Scatterday ; Treasurer, D. E. Fee; Marshal, W. B. Fitzpatrick. 1875.—Trustees, J. B. Day, Isaac Watson, W. V. Peck ; Recorders, Robert Porter and W. G, Hera. 1876.—Mayor, S. B. Parker ; Recorder, E. J. Dunham; Trustees, A. Scatterday, W. G. Moore, F. Helmering, Joseph Glasgens, and Samuel McKown; Treasurer, D, E. Fee ; Marshal, James McCormack ; Joseph Hale, Street Commissioner. 1877.— Trustees, C. G. Seitz, G. T. Salt, R. A. Molyncaux, and Philip Roetinger. 1878.—Mayor, Watts McMurchy; Recorder, E. Towner ; Trustees, Louis Golsch, Isaac Watson, Johnson Crawford ; Treasurer, D. E. Fee; Marshal, James B. McCormack ; Health Officer, John Crawford. 1879.—Mayor, Watts McMurchy ; Recorder, E. Towner ; Councilmen, S. B. Parker, Fred. Willenbrink, 1saac Watson, Louis Golsch, Johnson Crawford, and James Watson; Treasurer, D. E. Fee; Marshal, James B. McCormack ; Street Commissioner, John Crawford ; Board of Health, Dr. N. Barber, Charles Q. Haines, J. S. Weidinger, R. A. Molyneaux, Stephen Jackson, and H. H. Myers. THE BUSINESS 1NTERESTS of New Richmond more than anything else have contributed to give the place the prominence it enjoys among the villages of Southern Ohio, and it affords an interesting lesson to trace the history of its trade from its humble beginning to the present fine proportions. In a small way David Jones, Plummer Jams, and David Porter began merchandising soon after the village was laid out; and Robert Haines, Caleb S. Walker, and William Watkins followed soon after, the latter having the principal store, with a trade of such meagre proportions that it did not keep him engaged near all his time. He was a part owner of a small steamboat, with which he once or twice per week made trips to Cincinnati, carrying such freight as the country * Resigned: C. W. Short and S. T. Harvey filled the vacancies. OHIO TOWNSHIP - 411 then afforded. Before leaving he considerately informed his patrons when he would return and resume his mercantile duties. He was an enterprising man, but in the strictest sense was not successful as a merchaUt. Probably the Donaldson brothers—Christian, William, and Thomas—are entitled to the distinction of having been the first enterprising and successful merchants. They were largely engaged in trade, and being withal public-spirited, proved of immense benefit to New Richmond, laying the foundations of a business which in one form or other has since been carried on, Since 1836, William Sturges has been connected with the mercantile interests of New Richmond, and has a contemporary in E. R. Shannon, the latter yet handliUg hardware in a spacious house, and the former groceries, Thomas C. Gowdy engaged in lrade about the same time, aUd continued until within a few years. The third of these old business houses is that of M. H. Davis. For more than thirty years he has been at the head of an establishment which has given him prominence as one of the leading merchants of the county. Near the same time George W. Castlen began his mercantile career at New Richmond as a clerk at $1 per day. His aptitude for business secured him steady promotion until he became a partner in one of the large firms, and which, since 1861, has enabled him to carry on business on his account until a few years ago, when his sons, Thomas and Andrew, became associates, forming the present firm of George W. Castlen & Sons. Their " Mercantile Emporium" embraces a large building, stocked with goods from basement to second story, enabling them to make sales whose aggregate exceeds that of any other firm in the county. A specialty is made in handling fruits, thousands of bushels being shipped annually, the firm itselfsi having a 75-acre farm in Ohio township, on which are grown from 1200 to 1800 bushels per year. Contemporary with this firm, until they closed up their business a few years ago, were Hitch, Ely & Co. The magnitude of their business was surprisingly large, nearly every species of goods being handled. Near by Thomas F. Donham was largely engaged as a grocer. Hugh Gilmore opened the first drug-store about 1840, and at his death was succeeded by B. S. Williams, who was followed by Henry Jenks, and the latter by the present E. J. Don- ham. W. H. Moss has been a druggist since 1853, and for the past four years J. C. Bleher has carried on the third drug-store. Among the many merchants formerly in trade at New Richmond were F. C. Smith, James Walker, Josiah Bettie, Robert Porter, Sanford Tewell, James II. Wood, John Hobson, William Wood, Charles Butler, William Carnes, Layfield & Walraven, N. E. Walton, Abel Towner, Levi Moss, N. Barber, Joseph Kerr, and John F. Penn. In addition to the firms already named as being in trade at present, there were, in 1879, Zumvorde & Fiening, J. A. Starkey & Co., A, Scatterday, W. A. Davis, Mrs. M. Donham, Samuel McKown, and C. G. Seitz, general merchants; George T. Salt and Charles Wulf, clothiers ; J. G. Lutz, shoe-dealer ; J. C. Haines & Son, and Frank Moorman, coal-dealers ; I. F. Lindsey, Horace Boone, Mrs. C. Wibbels, George M. Jaeger, and Henry Harter, grocers ; George A. Phifer, A. S. Pigman, and R. L. Gest, hard ware; and M. H. Johnson, hosiery. There are also half a dozen millinery and dressmaking establishments. As before related, the first public-house was kept by Robert Haines, from about the time the village was laid out, for twenty years. In 1635, Plummer Jams had a small public-house near the present Springer House, where he was followed by William Laycock. This house is yet standing, but the old Haines tavern was destroyed by fire. In the spacious brick house, yet standing in the northern part of the village, Peter Turner kept a very respectable hotel, and was succeeded by Martin Ryan, who kept it in equal style about ten years. In the old Donaldson building hotels were kept, called the "St. Charles," " Franklin," etc., by John B. Robinson, William Herbert, and others. The building known as the " National Hotel" has been kept by various parties, but has never had much reputation as a public- house. A part of the present " Cary House" was built in 1829 by John Crawford, and the house was first used for hotel purposes by James Garrison, followed by Isaac Watson, and since 1861 by the present proprietor, F. N. Cary. The "Springer House" is a new and well-appointed hotel, near the public landing, and for the past few years has been kept in good style by Charles Springer. Other public- houses have abounded, but they were generally of short duration, and many of them have passed out of the recollection of the present citizens of the village. MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES. Some time before 1820 an ox-mill was gotten in operation at New Richmond by a company of citizens, which was not continued beyond half a dozen years, as its grinding capacity was too small for the increasing population. A better mill, having a tread-wheel worked by horses, had been built, meantime, near where is now Castlen's store by Michael Gilbert, which was so largely patronized that as many as twenty persons at a time waited for their turns at the mill. A few years later, some time about 1825, Davis Embree placed a steam-engine in the Seneca Palmer fulling-mill, which was made to operate grinding machinery, and for its day was a good mill. It was sold to the Donaldson Brothers, and from thence passed to John Atkinson & Co., who soon after began distilling in connection. The original Seneca Palmer fulling-mill was a large frame structure on the site of Willenhrink's feed-store, and was occupied before 1823 by Seneca Palmer & Co. for fulling purposes and as a woolen-factory. In an advertisement in the Luminary, in 1823, the firm assured the public that their machinery was first-class, and that they had a full stock of dyes, which they flattered themselves they could use in as good a style as any other establishment in the State, Terms of work : One-third cash, the balance in wheat, pork, lard, oats, honey, tallow, dried fruit, hides, skins, butter, whisky, shoe- and sewing-thread." It is thought that the demand for flour was more urgent than for fine cloth, and the factory had to make room for the mill. About 1852 this building was destroyed by fire, and subsequently another erected, which in 1872 was again supplied with milling machinery by J. B. Willenbrink, the apparatus being removed from Nicholsville ; but, after a 412 - HISTORY OF CLERMONT COUNTY, OHIO. few years' operation, this industry was abandoned. Previously the building had been occupied by J. Watson as a planing-mill. and after that as a steam cooperage, by Charles Quigley. In 1831 the right to erect a saw-mill on the river at New Richmond was granted to Nelson & Sallee ; and in a short time the mill was erected where is now the large distillery, William Allen having a saw-mill near by, above this point. The former mill was operated, among others, by Emanuel Grubb, who in later years had associated with him George McMurchy and Abel Towner, who also had a saw-mill by the Atkinson mill, which was abandoned about 1846. A year or so later a large lumber-mill was built near the present woolen-mills by Benjamin Light, John Lindsey, and others, which was last operated, about 1855, by Wm. Ferguson, when the mill burned down. Soon after, a circular saw-mill was here built, which was used in the spring of 1856 by McMurchy & Preble to saw out the timbers for the present lumber-manufacturing establishment, which they erected the same year. In 1861, N. M. Preble & George Fisher became the proprietors, and carried on business about eleven years, when George Fisher became sole proprietor, continuing until 1877. The present proprietors are Fridman & Steelman. The mill has an eligible location in the lower part of the village, with a fine river frontage, which permits the logs to be taken directly from the stream. The mill is completely furnished with good machinery, giving it a large capacity, and affording employment to about 20 men. About forty years ago C. S. Walker and Charles Lewis each had steam saw-mills in the village. The manufacture of' Excelsior, or fine shavings, from the soft woods for upholstering purposes, forms an important industry at New Richmond. N. M. Preble's Excelsior-Factory dates its establishment from 1869. In September, that year, he began work wilh two machines in the foregoing saw-mill. At the end of two years he had six machines in a factory on Washington Street. On the 3d of' April, 1874, this building was destroyed by fire, but the following month a much larger building for factory-purposes was erected, and is yet in use. It is 36 by 80 feet, with an engine-room attached, in which is a powerful engine, furnishing the motor for six machines, whose operation requires the attendance of seven men. In 1875 the preparation of Spanish moss was begun for use in upholstering carriages, and this branch requires a building 36 by 38 feet and a large separate warehouse. Kolb's Excelsior-Factory was erected in 1872 by Joseph Kolb and Charles Ashburn, under the firm-name of J. Kolb & Co. The business requires the use of five large buildings and gives employment to eight men. On the 28th of October, 1873, the boiler of the engine used exploded, causing the destruction of the building and involving a loss of $8000. In February, 1874, work was resumed in the present building, in which six machines are kept in operation. Since 1875, Joseph Kolb has been sole proprietor of the factory. The Clermont Flouring-Mill of New Richmond was erected in 1857 by Joseph J. Willenbrink, Anthony Alber ding, and Charles Dieters, being a brick building 40 by 45 feet, and three stories high, supplied with modern machinery and five runs of stone. The motive power is furnished by a 35 horse-power engine. The present proprietor is Mrs. A. B. Willenbrink. The. New Richmond Steam- Tannery.—The pioneer in this industry was James Warren, who had a small yard near the present tannery about 1815. In the same yard were afterwards engaged as tanners Peter Turner, N. L. Walton, Joseph Fagin, Josiah Bettie, L. J. Tingleyo J. R. Tingley, John W. Ryan. The capacity of the original tannery was increased from time to time, and in the aggregate much work was done. On the opposite side of the street L. J. Tingley had a tannery, about 1847, which was not kept up more than six years, and at other places tanneries were carried on by Thomas Kinnelly and Morris & Stout. Of the present tannery Philip Roettinger became the proprietor in June, 1869, but it was not until 1877 that steam was supplied; and other improvements have been made, in intermediate periods, until the establishment is one of the most complete in this part of the State. The yard contains three-fourths of an acre, on which are 100 vats ; a bark-mill, having a capacity of five oords per day, in a building 30 by 80 feet ; a beam-room 24 by 38 feet ; a handling-room 24 by 42 feet ; a currier- shop 24 by 36 feet, two stories high ; a sales-room 20 by 30 feet ; and a hide-house 26 by 24 feet, with basement. The tannery gives employment to 14 men, and is at present the property of Philip Roettinger & Son. For more than forty years the distillation of liquor has been the most important industry in the village. The New Richmond Distilleries have a history dating from 1835. About that time John and James Atkinson engaged in this business, in connection with the mill standing near Castlen's store, where they were succeeded in 1842 by David Gibson. The latter soon gave the property over to Beck & Fosdick, who operated it until its destruction by fire about 1852. Its original capacity was 200 bushels per day, but before it burned down it had been increased nearly threefold. Abandoning the old site, Beck & Fosdick put up a new distillery where are now the woolen- mills, which had a capacity of 900 bushels per day, but which, by subsequent enlargements, was greatly increased, and distillation here formed an extensive business. After the failure of the firm in 1857, the property passed into the hands of David. Gibson, who removed part of the building, merging the remaining interest into the distillery which he began in 1846 upon the site of the present establishment. Here, it will be recollected, was the Grubb saw-mill, and in 1838 a large steam flouring-mill was built in connection. The latter was continued by Gibson, and on the 5th of April, 1847, all the buildings here were destroyed by fire. Both the mill and the distillery were immediately rebuilt by David Gibson with enlarged capacities, the former to 200 barrels per day and the latter to 900 bushels, and both were set in operation in September, 1847. Later that year much of the property was again destroyed by the great flood, which swept away all the stables used in horsing the stock of the distillery. In the course of a few years the capacity of the distillery was increased to 3000 bushels per day, and so largely was it operated until the OHIO TOWNSHIP - 413 breaking out of the war. In 1855, David Gibson removed to Cincinnati, having previously associated with him as business partners Thomas Roberts, James Byrnes, and T. N. Moore. About this time the firm fed from 7000 to 10,000 head of bogs at a time, besides several hundred head of neat cattle. The immense quantity of grain consumed was procured chiefly in the Scioto Valley, as many as five boats unloading at the wharves of the distillery at a time. The firm also owned a steamboat, which was run in the interests of the business, and long lines of wagons daily brought the grain of the county to the distillery. In the cooperage of the establishment 60 men were employed, and in other departments 40 men more. But little was done in the distillery until after the war, and in 1866, Thomas Roberts and George W. Moore, the present firm, commenced operations, distilling since that time, but milhng was discontinued in 1868. From 300 to 800 bushels of grain per day are consumed, and several hundred head of cattle fed. About 20 men are employed, the cooperage being carried on by outside parties. The distillery stands on five acres of ground, with a good landing for convenient shipping. The buildings embrace a mill, which is operated by three engines, aggregating 100 horse-power ; a malt- house of brick 24 by 150 feet, with a kiln 30 feet long, affording a malting capacity of 200 bushels per day ; a bonded warehouse 45 by 130 feet, and three stories high ; corn-cribs 24 by 180 feet, and a number of sheds, making it in every respect very complete ; and although but little is done compared with former operations, it yet remains the chief industry of the village. The business of brewing was begun at New Richmond, about 1853, by the Kratzer family, who carried it on several years. At present a brewery is operated by C. Bauman, the capacity being small. The Clermont Woolen- Mills. —In April, 1865, J. and Clasgens purchased the old Fosdick & Beck distillery, in the lower part of the village, and fitted up the main building for a woolen-factory, adding an engine-room, dye- house, and other necessary buildings. In 1874 the grade of manufacture was changed to yarns, for the excellence of which the firm has been awarded medals at the Cincinnati Exposition. Two sets of machinery are operated in the production of plain, fancy, and Balmoral yarns, consuming 130,000 pounds of cleanly-washed wool per year. Fifty operatives are employed, and the factory and its surroundings is a hive of industry, commending the enterprise of the Clasgens Bros., whose mills are the only one of the kind in the county. The Ohio Machine-Works.—The organization of this company was effected in Cincinnati in 1868, for the purpose of carrying on the manufacture of milling machinery at New Richmond. Rufus S. Lee was elected president of the association, whose capital stock was $100,000, and the works were placed in charge of H. R. Mathias as superintendent. A splendid building was erected in the upper part of New Richmond, at a cost of $28,000, for factory purposes, to which was attached a good wharf. The main building is of brick, 42 by 129 feet, three stories high, with a wing 53 by 172 feet, and spacious grounds having the necessary storage sheds. The company met with finan cial embarrassments soon after it began operations, and its identity was lost in The New Richmond Machine- Works, a body corporate, which was formed Nov. 6,1869, to carry on a foundry and machine-shop for the manufacture of machinery and other profitable articles. The capital stock was fixed at $50,000, in 1000 shares of $50 each. The corporators were Thomas Roberts, N. M. Preble, N. A. Hitch, C. Schmels, A. Alberding, and George W. Castlen. The company never succeeded in getting the works in operation, and on the 20th of August, 1870, was formed the Henning Chair Company, to occupy the buildings. The capital stock was also $50,000, but the value of the shares was set at $100 each. On the :id of October, 1870, the company chose a board of directors, composed of J. N. Henning, G. W. Castlen, N. A. Hitch, P. J. Nichols, Thomas Roberts, and W. G. Moore ; and J. N. Henning was elected president. The necessary machinery was procured, and the factory set in operation in the fall of 1871. For two years it was successfully operated, employing 75 men, when the crisis of 1873 checked its prosperity, and soon after the company was obliged to discontinue business. A part of the building was then occupied by H. It. Mathias for his Iron Crown Machine- Works, but in the course of a few years the firm of Mathias & Moore erected a fine factory on Hamilton Street, where the works were carried on until their discontinuance in the summer of 1879. Both buildings, although finely located and well adapted for business, are at present unoccupied. Among the lesser industries were the plane-factory of Jesse Carnes, and the hat-factory of John Dimmitt, both discontinued years ago ; and at present are the carriage-works of T. P. White ; the marble-works of H. Lindsey and II. Siebel ; the machine-shops of J. N. Folks and S. B. Parker ; the tobacco-factory of W. A. Shaw & Brothers (a flourishing and growing industry), and the cigar-factories of L. Golsch and A. Krieger. Closely associated with the mercantile and manufacturing interests of the village are THE STEAMBOAT INTERESTS. The first boat that made New Richmond a terminus was the small stern-wheeler " Allegheny," owned by William Watkins and others, which had no regular schedule of time, but left the village whenever she had any freight to carry. About 1828 this boat was run up as far as Maysville, in command of Captain John Conner. He was also captain of the next boat, the " Zephyr," a small two-boiler boat, owned by Robert Davis, William Ross, Andrew Wilson, and John Conner. In 1841 the " Zephyr" was grounded. Next on the New Richmond line was "The Lancaster No. 1." owned by David Gibson and others,— John Conner, captain. The boat was small, but having good machinery, it was removed and placed in " The Lancaster No. 2," owned and run by the same parties. After a few years this boat was sold and " The Lancaster No. 3" put on the line, which was now extended to Neville ; and the " Lancaster No. 4" made Mk its eastern terminus. These boats were generally in charge of John Conner as captain, and Lewis Morris as clerk, both yet living in the county and favorably 414 - HISTORY OF CLERMONT COUNTY, OHIO. known as river men, whose chief aim was to serve the public. Lewis Morris was captain of the " Lancaster No. 4." For short periods other boats made New Richmond a terminus, but the improvements in steamboat-machinery made it possible to extend local lines to higher points on the river, and yet bring Cincinnati within easy communication. These short-line packets daily land at New Richmond, and the Pittsburgh and other boats also regularly touch at the commodious wharf of the village ; and, in addition to these facilities of communication, the Ohio River division of the Cincinnati and Eastern Railroad has just been completed to New Richmond, on which are several trains daily to Cincinnati. At New Richmond a steamboat was built, in 1826, by Charles W. Swain, Caleb S. Walker, John Ashburn, and others, which had a capacity of about 90 tons. The boat was called " The William Tell," and was launched from the yard, a little below the chair-factory, the occasion bringing together a vast crowd of people. Some years after David Munn and others built the hull of a boat at New Richmond, which was taken to Cincinnati to complete ; and Robert Davis, Andrew Wilson. and John Conner brought a hull to New Richmond, here completing the boat which they called " The Clermont," launching her in 1845. The last boat built here was in 1864, John Caufman and others being the owners. The yard was at the present sawmill, and after her trial trip, the boat, which was a sternwheeler, went to other parts. While she was being launched a colored man was killed. Another steamboat disaster occurred at New Richmond, in December, 1851. The steamer " Forester," which had but recently been chartered by Captain A, D. Wilson, to run from New Richmond, while lying at the upper landing, was burned to the water's edge, burning to death a white man and the steward and chambermaid, both colored. In addition to the steamboat men of New Richmond already named, John McLain, K R. Shannon, and his son, Captain William Shannon, have been favorably identified with this interest, which formerly very much more affected the business of the village than at present. NEW RICHMOND PROFESSIONAL MEN. The first permanent physician was the venerable Dr. J. G. Rogers. He was born in New Jersey, in 1797 ; came with his father, Dr. Levi Rogers, to Williamsburgh, in 1804; studied medicine with Dr. Z. Fenn, at Neville, and was in practice at that place from 1816 till 1818, when he located at New Richmond, where he was in active practice until 1874. In 1823 he associated with him Dr. J. T. Johnston, and in the Luminary of that period the firm advertised the copartnership and that they would take country produce in payment for their services, the produce to be delivered at Point Pleasant or New Richmond at market-prices. In the same paper Dr. Elisha Embree announces that he had taken rooms in the house of John Bettle, and would thereafter follow his profession. Dr. Rogers became skilful alike as a physician and a surgeon, and on the 27th of April, 1822, officiated at the birth of Gen. U. S. Grunt, at Point Pleasant, His first wife was daughter of Senator Thomas Morris, and the present was Sarah Ann Molyneaux. His son, Levi M., became an eminent physician at Cincinnati. Dr. J. G. Roger's yet resides at New Richmond, although in a very feeble condition. For many years Dr. T. J. Mullen, yet in practice, has been his able contemporary, and since about 1855, Dr. A. Schroem has also had a good practice here, both being graduates of the Ohio Medical College. Dr. W. V. Peek, of the same school, located here in 1859, and died in 1877. Dr. W. P. Kincaid has been a leading physician since 1868. Other physicians are Dr. N. Barber, Dr. E. F. Erdman, and Dr. J. C. Kilgour, the latter belonging to the homoeopathic school. In dentistry, Dr. R. A. Molyneaux has been here engaged twenty years, and for the past few years Dr. E. J, Nichols. In 1852, Dr. Daniel Barber was a physician at New Richmond, and others have been located there for short periods. As attorneys Dewitt C. Johnston and T. Morris were among the first. P. J. Bonham, now of Cincinnati, had a good practice twenty years ago and later, and was succeeded by Judge P. J. Nichols. Thomas J. Hamilton, Joseph Tritt, and others have been members of the New Richmond bar. The present attorneys are Frank Davis, John W. Lennin, George McMurchy, and R. S, Swing. R. A. Davis has an extensive insurance agency. THE PRESS, POST-OFFICE, AND BANK. When New Richmond was flushed with the expectations arising from being made the county-seat, a paper was here established, whose first issue bore date July 3, 1823. It received the appropriate name of The Luminary, and was dedicated to the public good and the intelligence of its patrons, boldly declaring that " Enlightened minds and virtuous manners lead to the gates of glory." The office of publication was in the Seneca Palmer fulhng•mill, which stood where is now Willenbrink's feed-store, and the editors were the brothers Herron, four in number, who soon removed to a locality where the vexation attending the removal of a county-seat would not so seriously affect the printing business. Then came other newspaper venturese whose checkered history is given in the chapter on the " Press" in this book. The village is at present supplied with an excellent paper, the New Richmond Independent, whose editor and proprietor is Winthrop Frazer. From the data at hand it appears that the New Richmond post-office was established a short time before 1819, and that Robert Haines was the postmaster, keeping the office at his tavern on Front Street. For twenty years he discharged the duties of the office, and in 1839 was succeeded by Robert Harris. Other appointees have been: 1841, James T. Johnson ; 1847, Charles Goodale ; 1849, George J. Nichols; 1851, John Dimmitt ; 1855, D. S. Stinchfield ; 1864, John McDonald ; 1865, J. D. Aston ; and since Sept. 27, 1879, the widow of the latter. New Richmond was designated a postal money-order office in September, 1867, and has since so continued. The office is supplied with daily mail by steam-packets from eastern and western points and by daily stage-lines from Cincinnati and Batavia. DR. JOHN G. ROGERS Dr. John George Rogers, one of the most noted and venerable physicians of Clermoat, was born near Camden, N. J., Aprit 29,1797, and was the second in a family of seven children, whose parents were Dr. Levi Rogers and Anna (George) Rogers. His father, a native of Maryland, in early life became an itinerant Methodist preacher; married Aana George, the only child of John and Sarah George ; relinquished the itinerancy ; studied medicine ; attended lectures at Jefferson College, in Philadelphia, under Professors Shippen, Rush, Wise, Wittier, Barton, and other emiaeat men; and began the practice of medicine in New Jersey in 1798. He removed to Ohio in 1804, and settled at Williamsburgh. In 1810 located at Bethel, where he died April 4, 1815, in the forty-seventh year of his age; and his wife, Anna George, a native of New Jersey, died in Batavia, Oct. 13, 1856. He was an earnest student aad very highly esteemed for intelligence and skill in his profession. In the war of 1812 he was surgeon in the 19th Regiment of Infantry. Besides being a noted physician he was also a preacher ; served one term as sheriff of the county; was a practicing lawyer of repute, and acted at several terms of the Common Pleas Court as prosecuting attorney ; and served one term of two years in the Ohio Senate. Dr. Levi Rogers was the most versatile genius of the early days of Clermont, but his usefulness was cut short by death in the prime of life. Dr. John G. Rogers was designed at an earry age by his father for the medical professioa, and, after having acquired the knowledge usually taught in the schools of that day, he was placed under the instructioas of his father at home, where he received most of his literary education, and where the deep and broad foundations of his professional life were laid. His father, having a large practice in a new and sparsely settled country, was necessarily much from home, and many of the duties of the office devolved on his soa, who in boyhood acquired great dexterity in extracting teeth, bleeding, and many of the operations in minor surgery, as well as dispensing medicine in the absence of his father, who died in the eighteenth year of his eon's age. When the doctor was a lad onry fourteen years old, William Goble, a farmer living near Bethel, was severely and it was thought fatalry cut by a scythe upon his back and shoulder, and a messenger came for his father to come and dress Mr. Goble's wounds ; but the father being miles away on his professional duties, his wife persuaded her son, Joha G., to go and attend the wounded man. The boy went, examined and dressed the wounds, and sewed them, putting in eleven stitches an inch and a half apart, and such was his success that his father, on the next day examining the patient, declared it to be a perfect surgical job, and complimented his son on his skill and dexterity. Upon the death of his father, Dr. John G. Rogers applied himself closely to the study of medicine for two years, under the instruction of Dr. William Wayland, who settled in the county soon after the death of his father. He also received many practical and clinical instructions from Dr, David Morris, in studying and iavestigating the malarious diseases of that region, while residing in his family, in Lebanon, Ohio. After studying and practiciag two years longer, under the care and instruction of Dr. Zeno Fenn, an eminent physician of Clermont, his pupilage terminated, at the age of twenty-one years. He was taught with much care by his distinguished father an intimate knowledge of anatomy, in which branch of medieine he became specially proficient. During his long and varied pupilage he acquired an extensive knowledge of the principles and practice of medicine, and settled in New Richmoad, June 11, 1818, where be soon became a most noted and successful practitioner, aad where lie now resides and has been for sixty-two years in the constant and uninterrupted practice of the healing art. In 1824 he wee appointed by the General Assembry, with others, as a censor, to organize the First District Medical Society of Ohio, composed of the counties of Hamilton and Clermont. He continued to praetice medicine with great success up to 1825, when the Medical College of Ohio, in Cincinnati, was fully organized by the appointment of Professors Moorehead, Slack, Cobb, and Whitman, and he attended the lectures and graduated in that institution with the highest honors in 1826. He was the main instrument in the organization of the Clermont County Medical Society, on May 11,1853, and was its first president, and again served as such in 1859 and 1867. He is a member of the Ohio State Medical Society, and has often attended its annual meetings, and took an active part in the deliberations and discussions of the famous one held at White Sulphur Spriags. He also belongs to the Ameriean Medical Associatioa, and has attended its sessions at Washington City, Baltimore, Louisville, and other points. He has performed many important operations in surgery, in which he has been successful, and for which he has been highly commended by the medical journals. He also was at one time physician to the family of Jesse R. Grant, and officiated at the birth of his son, Ulysses Simpson Grant, the distinguished general aad statesman, which took place on April 27,1822, and twice voted for his elevation to the Presidency. He was married, Oct. 19, 1820, to Julia Morris, the accomplished daughter of United States Senator Thomas Morris, of Bethel, ohio, by Rev. George C. Light, an eloquent divine of his day, and his attendants at the marriage eeremony were Dr. James T. Johnson, with Miss Hannah Simpson as bridesmaid, afterwards mother of Gen. Grant. By the death of Ids wife he was left with five smalt children,—four daughters and one son,—of whom but one, a daughter, now survives, viz., Eliza H. Rogers. The deceased are Levinia ; Lydia Ann, married to Jacob Ebersole ; Rachel M., married to Theodore M. Griffis, of Connersville, Ind.; and Dr. Levi M. Rogers, who received a medical education, practiced his profession for more than twenty years tn CincinUati, and died in the fiftieth year of his age. The second marriage of Dr. John G. Rogers occurred Nov. 19, 1833, to Sarah Ann Molynenux, of Scotch-Irish parentage, born in County Antrim, Ireland, a lady of fervent piety and remarkabre culture. Her fancily sprang from the French Huguenots who escaped from France to Ireland after the terrible massacre of St. Bartholomew, and her father, Samuel Molyneaux, with his wife and family, emigrated to America about 1820, and settled at Point Pleasant, in this county, where her parents died of malarial fever a year after their arrival. Dr. Rogers joined the Masonic order threescore years ago, and received the symbolical degrees in Clermont Social Lodge, No. 29, of Williamsburgh. He is a member, like his most excellent wife, of the Presbyterian Church, and throughout his rong and eventful life he has ever been promineatly ideatified with arl movements for the advancement of Christianity, and particularly so with all reforms in educational matters. In politics he was originally a Democrat of the Jackson school, and voted twice for that eminent statesman, but more recently he has been identified with the Free-Soil aad. Republican parties ; and, although he has never held office, he has in all public movements endeavored to advance the moral and educational interests of the community in general. In years gone by he gained prominence as one of the earliest and most influential and unflinching opponents of slavery, and has lived to see his cherished aati-slavery principles carried out and adopted by the government. Under his auspices James G. Birney began the publication of The Philanthropist in New Richmond about 1835, the first anti-slavery paper in the West, and which in about a year was removed to Cincinnati for a larger field of operations, where the office and presses of this paper were sacked and destroyed ; but afterwards it was resumed, with a new outfit, and published for several years. While this famous sheet was published at New Richmond, Dr. Rogers was the trusted friend and adviser of its editor, Mr. Birney, who was often compelled to stand guard with other anti-slavery men over the printing-office to prevent its destruction at the hands of an infuriated pro- slavery mob. The doctor is now in his eighty-fourth year, has retired from hits professional labors and is eajoying a quiet and peaceful old age, and duriag his long and most honorable career morality, religion, education, humanity, science, and the State have found a noble friend, and a coadjutor worthy of the proud line from which he is an illustrious descendant. JONATHAN S. DONHAM The family of Donham is of Spanish descent, the original name being "Don Singleton." Some time towards the close of the sixteenth century one of the ancestors of this Don Singleton family had become noted as an active member of the Liberal party, or, as it might have been then termed, the Rebel party. He was arrested, tried, and banished, but after his sentence escaped and fled to Scotland, where he assumed the name of Don Ham, which finally became corrupted into the single name "Donham." A eon or grandson of this expatriated ancestor emigrated to America, and settled in what is now New Jersey, where he was twice married, and by his first wife had one son, John; and by his second, three sons, William, Jonathan, and Nathaniel, and a daughter, name unknown. John and Jonathan remained in New Jersey, William removed to Northern Alabama, and Nathaniel married and settled in Pennsylvania, where, his wife dying, he was again married, this time to Miss Jennings. In his emigration from New Jersey he moved westward, passing over the Allegheny Mountains, following the military road out out by the English pioneers for the march of Gen. Braddock's army, on his advance from the sea-board to Fort Duquesne, and settled temporarily on the Monongahela River, sixty miles above Pittsburgh, near Ten-Mile Creek, at the present village of Mapletown, in Greene Co., Pa. Here, his first wife dying, he married his second, and here the younger members of his family were born. He came to Pennsylvania about the year of the Declaration of Independence (1776), and was engaged for years in the transportation across the mountains of groceries and store goods by pack-horses to supply the pioneerS in the frontier settlements, purchasing his stock in Philadelphia or Baltimore, In 1794, with most of his family, he again emigrated, and coming down the Ohio River landed at the mouth of the Little Miami, and established his home on what was then known as the " Round Bottom" of that historic stream. 1n a few years, about 1800, he moved into Clermont County, and settled on Ten-Mile Creek, in what is now Pi Pierce township, where be spent the balance of his days in clearing his lands, raising crops, and caring for his family. By his first marriage were born three sons and one daughter. The latter never came West. The sons were David, John, and Lewis. By his second marriage there were one daughter, Mary, and six sons, Henry, Abel, William, Amos, Robert, and Jonathan Singleton, of whom all but one, Henry, served bravely in the war of 1812. Of the three sons by his first wife, two, David and Lewis, remained in Pennsylvania, and raised large families, while John located on Ten-Mile Creek, in this county ; of those by his second wifee Abel settled in this county, on Ten-Mrle Creek ; Henry removed to Clay Co., Ind.; William located on Ten-Mile Creek; Amos removed to Brown Co., Ohio; Robert settled on Ten-Mile Creek, and was many years a county commissioner ; and Jonathan Singleton Donham settled on Twelve-Mile Creek, in Ohio township. He was the youngest of this pioneer family, which, in men and women of force of character, mental ability, and first-class business qualifications, has contributed greatly to the devetopment of the county materially, politically, morally, and in all that adds to its progress and growth. He was a child when his father came West in 1794, and when a good-sized boy went to live with his half-brother, John, who had then already acquired a good farm. His inclination was more for trading, particularly in live stock, which business he followed until he succeeded in purchasing himself a fine farm on the eastern hills of Twelve-Mile Creek, in Ohio township. This he enlarged by additional purchases, until his possessions were several huadred acres of land. Throughout his life he made stock-raising his main avocation, and gained a marked reputation for his importation into Southern Clermont of blooded horses, cattle, and hogs. He was twice married, the first time to Hiley Ross, by whom he had no children, and his second marriage was on April 19, 1818, by Timothy Rardin, justice of the peace, to Elizabeth Ayers, of New Jersey, by whom there were reared eleven childrea, —four sons and seven daughters. The eldest son is Hon. Perry J. Denham, of Cincinnati, one of the most distinguished lawyers of Ohio, who studied at Jefferson College, Pennsylvania, read law under Gen. Thomas L. Hamer, was admitted to the bar in 1848, and has gained a reputation in the State for his eminent success as an attorney. His wife was the daughter of Captain Wiltiam McClain, the famous Ohio River steamboat captain; she died in 1862, leaving two beautiful and accomplished daughters, Carrie and Belle. The second son is Dr. Harrison L. Denham, of Mount Washington, a physician of celebrity. The third eon is EraSmus J. Denham, the present efficient county treasurer of Clermont, elected in 1879, over his cousin, David Donham. The fourth and youngest son is Robert W. Denham, residing four miles from New Richmond. Of the daughters, there were Hiley Ann, married to Thomas Kennedy, of Campbell Co., Ky.; Evaline, married to Thomas L. Nichols, and who is the mother of Judge Perry J. Nichols ; Mary Eliza, married to Benjamin Ely ; Florella J., married to J. H. Simmons; Harriet L., married to Rev. H. M. Keck ; Cordelia E., married to James Augustus Hitch; and Caroline E. Col. Jonathan S. Donham served as an offrcer in the war of 1812, and was present at the siege of Fort Meigs, and in after-years was a general in the militia. He was one of the best farmers and largest stock-raisers in Clermont, and a man of fine personal and social habits; few men of his day stood so high in the estimation of the community. He died in 1856, leaving a very large estate and a family of nine children, with their aged mother, and grandchildren by the score. His widow, Mrs. Elizabeth (Ayers) Donham, is still living, and for her advanced age (eighty-five) is remarkably active and healthy. She draws a pension from the government for the services of her late husband, Col. Jonathan S. Donhame whose memory will ever be cherished in Clermont County as that of a worthy pioneer, whose family was not only closely identified with the early settle. ments in the county, and its subsequent advance in eivilization, but is also noted for its services generally in the Revolutionary war, and in the settlements on the Monongahela, in Pennsylvania, which preceded those in Ohio and Kentucky. OHIO TOWNSHIP.   415 THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF NEW RICHMOND. This institution was organized in April, 1865, with a capital stock of $65,000, which has been increased to $100,000, the present amount of the capital. The first board of directors was composed of D. E. Fee, N. M. Preble, William Sturges, George Weir, W. G. Moore, Jared Lemar, and Franklin Fridman. William Sturges was elected president, W. T. Moore vice-president, N. M. Preble cashier. In 1869, W. 0. Moore beoame presicent, and Franklin Fridman vice-president. In January, 1870, D. E. Fee became president, and W. G. Moore vice- president ; but in August of the same year W. G. Moore succeeded Fee as president, the latter becoming cashier, in which capacity he has since served. In 1875, Watts McMurchy became president, and in 1880, Franklin Fridman, James I. Selby being vice-president, and William R. Sinks tellcr. The directors in 1880 were D. E. Fee, W. R. Sinks, Frank Davis, Franklin Fridman, James I. Selby. F. T. Donaldson, and C. R. Ashburn. The bank is prosperous and has a fine offrce in the McMurchy building. It was opened in the Castlen block, but after a few years was located in the Pigman building, where it remained until it was transferred to its present home. THE NEW RICHMOND BUILDING AND LOAN ASSOCIATION. The petition for an association was signed Dec. 7, 1869, by I. F. Lindsey, N. A. Hitch, M. H. Davis, E. R. Shannon, P. J. Nichols, Watts McMurchy, Frank Davis, and Henry Jenks, as corporators, and was filed at Columbus, Dec. 11, 1869. Its object was to raise funds to be loaned among its members and depositors for use in buying lots aUd houses and other purposes. On the 3d day of January, 1870, the stockholders met at the town-hall, and an election of directors had, at which Watts McMurchy, W. G. Moore, George W. Castlen, Joseph Clasgens, P. J. Nichols, M. H. Davis, H. Jenks, N. A. Hitch, Frank Davis, E. It. Shannon, William Sturges, D. E. Fee, N. M. Preble, and I. F. Lindsey were elected directors ; and at an election of officers held immediately afterwards Watts McMurchy was chosen President ; N. A. Hitch, Vice-President ; Frank Davis, Secretary ; W. G. Moore, Treasurer ; and P. J. Nichols, Solicitor. These officers were never changed, except that upon the removal of N. A. Hitch William Sturges was elected vice-president in 1875, and upon the election of Hon. P. J. Nichols as probate judge Frank Davis was appointed as solicitor. The changes in the board were few. C. Schmeltz was elected in 1874 in place of Joseph Clasgens, who declined re-election ; W. B. Ely was elected in place of C. Schmeltz, declined in 1875; E. J. Donham in place of N. A. Hitch, and A. J. Shaw in place of W, B. Ely in 1878. The first payment made to the association was Jan, 29, 1870. The original capital stock was 8400,000, but not being all taken, by vote of stockholders, had July 23, 1870, the capital stock was reduced to $200,000. The association has received dues for five hundred and eighteen weeks, and each share has therefore paid $129.50. The par value of each share being $200, each share, it will be seen, has made ten per cent. clear of all expenses to the shareholder, who in nearly ten years has paid in $129.50, which at ten per cent. for five years, being average time, would amount to $194.25. The largest premium ever received was 40} per cent., in April, 1870, and from that date the premiums declined until the year 1877, when they entirely ceased, none being bid, and money loaned to members at the face value of stock. The lowest premium received was one-quarter per cent., and after the first year the premium never exceeded 20 per cent. The total cash receipts from all sources amounted to about $216,000. The taxes paid amounted to about $7200 ; the expenses of every other character to $3500, which includes rent, record of mortgages, and salaries. The only salaried officers are the secretary and treasurer, who at first received $100 and $50 respectively ; they now receive $150 each per year. The association had but few suits, and in nearly all cases were brought into court by others bringing suit or by administrators or trustees in settlement of estates. There has never been a case litigated, and the association was never before the district court. Its officers have universally, where it was at all praoticable, settled and corn- promised all cases ; and it is a remarkable fact that no money has been lost by bad loans. THE NEW BUILDING AND LOAN ASSOCIATION OF NEW RICHMOND. This association was formed after the affairs of the above body were closed up. The certificate of organization was issued Dec. 24, 1879, and the corporators were W. G. Moore, N. M. Preble, Frank Davis, P. J. Nichols, I). E. Fee, W, R, Sinks, R. W. Donham, George W. Castlen, and M. II. Davis. The capital stock was fixed at $100,000, in shares of $200 each. The certificate was filed with the Secretary of State, Dec. 31, 1879, and officers were accordingly elected as follows: Directors, N. M. Preble, G. W. Castlen, D. E. Fee, R. A. Davis, W. R. Sinks, Samuel McKown, R. F. Erdman, W. G. Moore, I. F. Lindsey, C. G. Seitz, Frank Davis ; President, N. M. Preble; Vice- President, G. W. Castlen ; Secretary, R. A. Davis; Treasurer, W. R. Sinks ; and Solicitor, Frank Davis. On the 1st of February, 1880, the association had 120 members, and its affairs were in a flourishing condition. THE COLORED PEOPLE'S UNION AID OF NEW RICHMOND. At a meeting held at Colored Peoplesis Hall, at New Richmond, Sept. 3, 1866, Howard Boone president, and Henry Fox secretary, it was " Resolved, that the object of this organization is benevolent, and is intended to improve and advance the social and political conditions of the colored race ; that for the better accomplishment thereof, incorporation under the laws of Ohio is desired with the above name, and that the number of directors thereof shall be five, who shall be elected immediately." Charles H. Johnson, Jesse Orrich, Lewis Johnson, Val. Fox, and John Weher were elected director; but beyond this preliminary organization nothing further was accomplished. THE GERMAN AID ASSOCIATION OF NEW RICHMOND was organized May 6, 1853, and in due time became a corporate body, It is an independent organization, whose 416 - HISTORY OF CLERMONT COUNTY, OHIO operations are limited to a territory described by a radius of eight miles from New Richmond, in the State of Ohio, and its object is purely beneficiary, all its transactions being done in open meetings, held once a month. In addition to the ordinary officers there is a sick committee, which reports to the president and secretary any sickness on the part of the members, and secures proper attendance. In cases of illness members receive $3 per week, and should death ensue, $20 are paid for burial expenses. These amounts are paid from a fund arising from initiation fees and weekly dues of twenty-five cents per member. The association has had as many as 85 members belonging at one time, but at present has only 38 members. Among its deaths were Henry Helmering, Wm. Elmore, Henry Schmidt, Casper Hessler, Andrew Langhauser, Frank Schweitzer, John Frank, and Justus Schueter. The first officers were Marcus Kissner, President ; Benedict Blaessie, Vice-President; Charles Wulf, Treasurer; and Stephen Huber, Secretary ; and in 1880 these officers in the order given were Louis Hausserman, Henry Prigge, Joseph D. Reis, and Martin E. Johns. THE CLERMONT INSURANCE COMPANY. This company was chartered by the Legislature of 1849— 50, under the old constitution, and was granted some very important franchises. On the 10th of June, 1850, it organized for business with Turpin Daughters, of Neville, as president, and R. W. Clarke, of Batavia, as secretary. It issued policies upon all classes of insurable property, but made a specialty of farm property. Among its prominent agents were William Johnston, Moscow ; P. J. Bonham, New Richmond ; Albert Dart, Milford ; William Ulrey, Boston ; Abram Yeater, Goshen ; Edward Sinks, Williams- burgh ; S. F. Dowdney, Felicity ; Samuel Justice, Bethel ; J. A. Morrow, Withamsville ; and John M. Brown, M. Jamieson, L. B. Leeds, Batavia, where was also the home office, In 1859 the last official meeting of the stockholders was held, when the company decided to sell out its franchises to parties in New Richmond. These reorganized the company the same year with the title of " Clermont Mutual," and selected Watts McMurchy as president and Joseph Tritt as secretary. Subsequently William Sturges served as president. The new company did business for more than a dozen years, but finally succumbed to the pressure of the times and ceased to exist. Under the new management the place of business was at New Richmond. SECRET ORDERS. As related in the history of Washington township, a lodge of Masons was instituted at New Richmond, in 1843, which, after a few years, was transferred to Moscow. After the lapse of a short period a charter was granted (Oct. 20, 1847) to form BUCKEYE LODGE, No. 150, F. AND A. M., whose communications were to be held at New Richmond. The members named in the charter were John Bell, John Dimmitt, George Allen, Thomas Young, David Gibson, A. D. Wilson, Milton Kennedy, William H. Moss, David Walker, and Bennett Carter. John Bell was selected as the first Master ; George Allen, as the Secretary ; and David Gibson, as the Treasurer. A room was rented for lodge purposes, of William Ken nedy, on the corner of Front and Walnut Streets, whrch was used until 1851, when the place of meeting was transferred to the Sturges Block, on Front and Quarry Streets On the 6th of January, 1876, the lodge became a corporate body, with Thomas Roberts, Samuel McKown, and P Kincaid, trustees, and E. Towner, clerk, who still serve in that capacity, and control the hall which the lodge has oc cupied since 1851. Of the members named in the charter David Gibson, of Cincinnati, is the only one who retains has membership. The aggregate number who have belonged has been more than 100, but at present only 42 are enrolled as members. The officers elected in 1879 were W It Sinks, W. M. ; William Roettinger, S. W.; Ed. Latham J. W. ; Frank Davis, S. D. ; J. W. Lennin, J. D Ezra Towner, Sec. ; and Samuel McKown, Treas. The Worshipful Masters, Senior Wardens, and Junior Wardens, in the order named, since the institution ot the lodge, have been as follows 1848.—Thomas Young, Abel Towner, W. L. Young. 1849.—Abel Towner, H. V. Shaffer, Joseph Ashton. 1850.—Joseph Ashton, John F. Selvage, Middleton Humes. 1851.—John F. Selvage, Dewitt C. Johnson, Thomas Roberts. 1852-53.—Joseph Ashton, G. J. Dickerson, Nathan Barkley. 1854.—Abel Towner, Nathan Barkley, John Shaw. 1855.—G. J. Dickerson, C. G. Hutchinson, John Shaw. 1856-57.—Watts McMurchy, Andrew Byrnes, Samuel McKown 1858.—Thomas B. Young, C. G. Hutchinson, U. C. Mockbe 1859.—Watts McMurchy, Thomas W. Chandler, C. G. Hutch 1860-61.—Samuel McKown, Henry Reese, B. P. Bonneville 1862.—Henry Reese, U. C. Mockbee, B. P. Bonneville. 1863.—John T. Selvage, Thomas C. Fite, Samuel McKown 1864.—U. C. Mockbee, Henry Reese, B. P. Bonneville. 1865.—Samuel McKown, B. P. Bonneville, John M. Shepherd 1866.—Samuel McKown, Watts McMurchy, Charles Wulf. 1867.—James McKown, Henry Reese, Willram A. Shaw. 1868.—W. P. Kincaid, S. McKown, U. C. Mockbee. 1869.—W. P. Kincaid, Henry Jenks, D. E. Roberts. 1870.—Henry Jenks, George Hawkins, S. T. Harvey. 1871.—George Hawkins, Frank Davis, Charles Stevens. 1872.—Frank Davis, Charles Stevens, Joseph Kolb. 1873.—Frank Davis, Joseph Kolb, William R. Sinks. 1874.—William R. Sinks, E. L. Honse, U. C. Mockbee. 1875.—E. L. House, W. G. Hera, W. P. Kincaid. 1876.—Frank Davis, William R. Sinks, A. S. Pigman. 1877-78.—William R. Sinks, E. L. House, Joseph Kolb. 1879.—William R. Sinks, William Roettinger, Ed. H. Latham MOSCOW CHAPTER, No. 78, R. A. M., was organized, under a dispensation, June 22, 1858 with William Johnston, Edward Hughes, William M Fee, James I. Selby, James Stewart, James L. Powell, Wrlham T. Hughes, William T. Fce, and J. W. Fee, charter mem bers, and who were also the first officers. The commonu tions of the chapter were held at Moscow until 1870. when privilege was granted to change the place of meeting, to New Richmond, and the first regular communication oif the chapter was held at that place Oct. 4, 1870, the name ot the chapter being changed at the same time from Moscow to New Richmond, which has since been the proper trtle The chapter meets in the hall of' Buckeye. Lodge and in 1879 reported 29 members and William Roettinger. H P U. C. Mockbee, K. ; W. P. Kincaid, S.; William R Sinks OHIO TOWNSHIP - 417 C. F. ; Frank Davis, P. S.; Joseph Kolb, R. A. C. ; Geo. H. Fridman, Treas.; and Ezra Towner, Sec. From 1859 for the twenty years succeeding the following have been the High Priests, Kings, and Scribes in the order named : 1859.—Edward Hughes, James Stewart, James I. Selby. 1860.—James I. Selby, Henry Walker, John W. Camerer. 1861-63.—William Johnson, J. W. Fee, John W. Camerer. 1864.—John W. Fee, William Johnson, W. S. Manning. 1865-67.--Edward Hughes, Henry Walker, W. S. Manning. 1868.—William M. Fee, B. F. Penn, William Johnson. 1869.—Edward Hughes, Henry Walker, J. Mockbee. 1870.—Henry Jenks, W. P. Kincaid, Watts McMurchy. 1871—Frank Davis, U. C. Mockbee, George W. Hawkins. 1872.—Charles Stevens, W. P. Kincaid, U. C. Mockbee. 1873.—William R. Sinks, W. P. Kincaid, U. C. Mockbee. 1874.—W. P. Kincaid, U. C. Mock bee, James I. Selby. 1875.—W. P: Kincaid, U. C. Mockbee, Watts McMurchy. 1876.--William R. Sinks, U. C. Mockbee, James 1. Selby. 1877.—Edward H. Latham, U. C. Mockbee, H. Reese. 1878.—E. T. House, U. C. Mockbee, James 1. Selby. 1879.—William Roettinger, U. C. Mockbee, W. P. Kincaid. MISTLETOE LODGE, No. 97, I. O. O. F., was instituted Jan. 1, 1848, with charter members as follows: Henry H. Fosdick, S. W. Collard, William H. Bannister, R. H. Davis, J. B. Robinson, A. U. Short, and T. Roberts; and among the early initiates were Thomas C. Gowdy, William Reakirt, Bennett Friend, Joshua Silvers, W. H. Moss, 0. K. Reeves, J. T. Johnston, Joshua Bettle, James Potts, William Ross, and Abel Towner. The lodge has been prosperous, and on the 1st of June, 1876, became a corporate body, under the general laws of the State relating to such bodies, the object being the mutual protection and relief of its members, and to secure the payment of a stipulated sum of money to the family or heirs of the deceased members of said association. John B. Fleming, William Hawkins, and E. J. Donham were specified as the trustees. In January, 1880, the lodge reported a membership of 69, and met in a very fine hall, the lower story of which is occupied by the village authorities for council and other purposes. The officers at this time are John Hawkins, N. G. ; Charles D. Watson, V. G. ; James Gilmore, R. S. ; E. L. House, P. S. ; and A. S. Pigman, Treas. Since the institution of the lodge the Noble Grands have been A. H. Fosdick, Thomas Roberts, R. H. Davis, A. W. Short, E. G. Beck, Joseph Tritt, Charles Cooder, T. C. Gowdy, Joseph E. Peden, F. N. Cary, L. M. Sturges, William Reakirt, James Watson, Thomas J. Mullen, John B. Fleming, John McDonald, Charles G. Hutchinson, Joshua Silvers, Andrew Delano, David A. Reese, George Green, W. B. Fitzpatrick, S. B. Sims, B. F. Vandergrift, P. A. Nichols, V. B. Cary, Wellington Dickinson, E. J. Donham, W. A. Shaw, C. W. Short, S. B. Parker, E. L. House, H. J. Bainum, E. J. Watson, William Hawkins, Thomas J. Lewis, Johnson Crawford, Richard Hawkins, John Reese, W. G. Hera, H. ,R. Mathias, T. P. White, Reason Hawkins, C. W. Dawson, James Kinsey, and E. J. Nichols. SIEGEL LODGE, No. 375, 1. O. O. F., was instituted July 4, 1866, with the following charter members : Charles Wulf, Philip Bromer, Chris. Weisenborn, Adam Moser, Charles Burkhart, Philip Roettinger, Jacob Reinert, Chris. Gutler, Jacob Fetzer, Louis Hausserman, Frank Schweitzer, Henry Bolknecht, Jacob Pickle, Henry Helmering, William Horgel, Frank Heiselman, John Frantz, Aug. Cornmeyer, Fred. Hausserman, Conrad Trauth, John Hewfling, Henry Schmumacher, Antonie Sylvester, Edward Ware. Charles Wulf was the first Noble Grand, and for the first term in 1880 this office was filled by G. F. Englehart ; Mathew Schentz, V. G.; Ignatius Schentz, R. S.; L. Golsch, P. S. ; and H. Hunger, Treas. Thirty members are reported, and all the exercises are conducted in the German, being the only working lodge of this nature in the county. Its meetings are also held in Mistletoe Hall. THE NEW RICHMOND ENCAMPMENT, No. 98, I. O. O. F., was chartered June 10, 1867, with the following members : C. W. Short, C. P. ; B. F. Vandegrift, H. P.; A. S. Pig- man, S. W. ; W. B. Ely, J. W.; V. B. Cary, Scribe ; and Charles Wulf, Treas. The encampment in 1879 reported 29 members, and convened in Mistletoe Hall. Since its organization the Past Patriarchs have been E. L. House, J. F. Hatch, William Hawkins, Wellington Dickinson, John V. Hunt, C. Schmeltz, Charles Wulf, A. Sylvester, J. V. Fleming, T. J. Mullen, James Watson, A. S. Pigman, B. F. Vandegrift, W. A. Shaw, S. B. Parker, Charles Springer, John V. Hunt, E. J. Watson, D. E. Fee, Fred. House, J. D. Knabb, F. N. Cary, and William Hawkins. NEW RICHMOND LODGE, No. 43, A. O. U. W. This lodge was instituted Feb. 19, 1875, with charter members as follows : John F. M. Ely, W. R. Sinks, James W. Moss, 11 E. Fee, E. J. Donham, William C. Spahr, Lyman House, James Majors, Frank Davis, W. J. Shannon, Aquilla Cochran, W. G. Moore, Peter Eyl, Isaac Watson, A. J. McFarland, W. A. Shaw, Joseph White, Watts McMurchy, Charles Haines, A. S. Pigman, William V. Peck, James Kinsey, C. T. Bainum, Thomas P. White, Ezra Towner, P. J. Nichols, W. D. Coons, F. C. Smith, Rudolph Burkhart. The first officers were A. S. Pigman, P. M. W. ; E. J. Donham, M. W.; E. L. House, G. F. ; A. J. McFarland, 0. ; C. Q. Haines, G. ; W. V. Peck, R. ; W. R. Sinks, F. ; Watts McMurchy, R.; James Kinsey, W.; and Trustees W. G. Moore, Frank Davis, and D. E. Fee. The present P. M. W. is W. P. Kincaid. The lodge has a membership of 32, and has lost one member by death, T. F. Bonham, Jan. 29, 1879. The communications are held in Mistletoe Hall. TRUE CRAFTSMAN LODGE, No. 36, F. AND A. M. (COLORED), was chartered Aug. 21, 1872, by authority of the Grand Lodge of Ohio, with James A. Bond, Delvia Mathews, Dennis Anderson, Moses Brown, John A. Moor, Charles Sneed, Joseph Graves, and Frasner. James Bond was the first Master, and was followed in that office by Ila Houston, Henry Fox, Sr., Ila Houston, William Nelson, and Daniel Smith, each for a term in the order named. The officers in 1880 were George Ringgold, W. M.; H. F. Fox, S. W. ; Daniel Smith, J. W.; Charles Strawder, 418 - HISTORY OF CLERMONT COUNTY, OHIO Sec.; and Philander Fox, Treas. The lodge has 28 members, and has its communications in a well-appointed hall. It is the only one maintained by colored people in the county. NEW RICHMOND UNION SCHOOLS. The records pertaining to the early schools of the township and of the village of New Richmond have not been preserved. One of the first schools was taught by William McDonald, and before 1819 a house was built for school purposes near the present Protestant church edifice. Other early teachers were Charles W. Swain, George Palmer, Joseph Herron, Ezekiel Walker, and Joseph Sapp, who were the instructors of the older members of the community of to-day. From 1826 for a period of nearly a dozen years Miss Molyneaux (now Mrs. Dr. Rogers) taught a select school for young ladies at New Richmond, which was well patronized and had a good reputation here and in the surrounding country. A select school for young men was taught a short time by Dr. William Herbert, before the establishment of the Clermont Academy, several miles above the village. Under the act of Feb. 21, 1849, for the better regulation of schools in cities and villages, the present schools of New Richmond were established in the fall of 1852. The meeting to effect this change was held June 8, 1852, when the people of the village voted, 92 to 23, to adopt the provisions of the act, and on the 22d of June of the same year the first board of education was constituted. It was composed of Samuel Walraven, President ; Daniel Barber, Secretary ; George McMurchy, Treasurer ; and W. II. Moss, P. J. Donham, and W. H. Ferguson. The board decided to maintain a session of school for thirty-six weeks, and that $1200 should be raised to support it. Rev. O. H. Newton, George T. Layfield, and N. M. Preble were appointed the first board of examiners, and the latter was also the first principal. An enumeration taken the following year showed that the whole number of children of school age-children bementween five and twenty-one years-was 608, of which 104 were colored. For the benefit of the latter class a school was established that year in one of the colored churches. The receipts for school purposes were $1427.78, and the disbursements exceeded that amount by 18 cents, five schools having been maintained. For the accommodation of these schools the old district school-houses were used and other rooms rented ; bdt in the spring of 1859 it was determined to erect a suitable edifice, whose capacity would permit all the schools to be taught under one roof. A building site was secured by effecting an exchange with the village authorities, whereby the old school-house was conveyed to the latter body and the board became the owners of the lots on which the school building now stands. The plans for this edifice were prepared by Anderson & Hanna- ford, of Cincinnati, and the house was built by Watson & Co., under the superintendence of Samuel Silvers, as a member of the board, at a cost of about $6000. The house was first occupied for school purposes in the fall of 1860. The school building for the colored children was erected in 1871, and both are creditable structures, with ample accommodations for the school-children of the village. The ex cellence of the schools often caused application for instruction to be made by pupils from outside districts. Jan. 11, 1858, a proposition was read before the board from Perry J. Nichols for admission as a pupil into Mr. Mahan's school. " Resolved, That he be admitted at the sum of $1.50 per month, and that P. J. Donham acknowledge himself responsible for said tuition-fee." In 1865 a German school was first taught, under the direction of the board of education, by the Rev. Mr. Trauth, and since that time, with the exception of a few years, a German teacher has been regularly employed by the school authorities. The following persons have served as members of the board of education, the years prefixed to their names indicating the time when they were elected: 1853, J. B. Tingley, E. R. Shannon, George T. Layfield, Andrew Robb (secretary) ; 1854, Thomas C. Gowdy (secretary), William Hobson ; 1855, William Sturges, Joseph Garrison, O. H. Newton ; 1856, Hezekiah Lindsey, P. J. Donham, George T. Layfield, Samuel Silvers ; 1857, N. M. Preble (secretary), Samuel Powers, Joshua Sims ; 1858, Samuel Silvers, E. R. Shannon ; 1859, P. J. Donham (secretary), M. A. Stinchfield ; 1860, Watts McMurchy, Martin Ryan, Stephen Jackson ; 1861, John Dimmitt, Samuel Anderson, J. R. Corbly, N. M. Preble ; 1862, E. R. Shannon, Samuel Silvers, M. A. Stinchfield (secretary); 1863, Stephen Jackson, William Reakirt (secretary), A. W. Coan, Watts McMurchy, P. J. Donham, D. L. Stinchfield ; 1864, John McDonald (secretary), Joseph Tritt, Hugh Gilmore, Charles Wulf, W. V. Peek ; 1865, A. Schroem, It. A. Molyneaux ; 1866, Jesse Carnes (secretary), Charles Dennis ; 1867, N. M. Preble, T. F. Donham ; 1868, E. R. Hera, Geo. Fisher; 1869, W. V. Peck, Henry Jenks (secretary); 1870, N. M. Preble, S. McKown (secretary) ; 1871, E. R. Hera, George Fisher ; 1872,W. V. Peck (secretary), Joseph Tritt; 1874, J. H. Harris, N. M. Preble, M. H. Davis, P. J. Nichols, George Fisher ; 1875, W. V. Peck (secretary), I. F. Lindsey, R. A. Molyneaux ; 1876, William B. Ely (secretary), A. Schroem, W. G. Moore ; 1877, P. J. Nichols, E. L. House ; 1878, R. A. Molyneaux, W. G. Moore. The board in 1879 was composed of R. A. Molyneaux, President ; Edwin House, Secretary ; W. A. Shaw, Treasurer; Frank Davis and A. Schroem, Auditing Committee ; and Joseph Kolb, House Committee. The principals of New Richmond union schools since 1852 have been as follows : 1853-54, L. H. Smith ; 1855- 63, J. W. Mahan ;* 1864, Wm. Nichols ; 1865, F. D. Davis ; 1866-70, J. C. Morris ; 1871, W. W. Locke; 1872-75, G. W. Felter ; 1876-80, J. A. I. Lowes. The other teachers in 1879 were Anna Davis (high school), Rebecca E. Scatterday, Eva Robb, Nellie Moore, Lizzie Haines, Lucy Morin, Lina Vayhinger (German), and H. F. and O. S. Fox (teachers of the colored schools). For many years O. B. Nickuns was a teacher of the colored youth in New Richmond. In the township of Ohio, outside of the village of New * Professor Mahan died of smallpox before the expiration of the year. He was a most excellent teacher. OHIO TOWNSHIP - 419 Richmond, are five sub-districts, which have been provided with good school buildings and in which are taught schools of more than ordinary merit. A separate school is also maintained for the instruction of colored youth. The condition of the several schools in 1879 is shown from the following reports to the county auditor Amount paid for tuition in the township, $1930 ; amount paid for the same purpose in New Richmond, $2989.30 ; number of children enrolled in the township, 335; number in New Richmond, 474 ; number of weeks taught in the township, 32 ; and the same number of weeks in the village. The number of pupils in the colored school in the township was 48; the number in New Richmond, 124. Regarding the first school in Ohio township, James Ferguson writes : "In the fall of 1810 a school-house was built. It was of the most rode and primitive type: not a sawn plank nor pane of glass or nail in its structore. Joseph Evans taught the first school. This was the first structure dedicated to cultured civilization in the then township of Ohio. In 1805, Thomas Ayres taught a quarter,' as we called a three months' school. Then Mr. Weymouth, of Vermont, who came vid Olean, N. Y., thence on a pine lumber-raft to Cincinnati ; then Hugh Russel; next Jonah Morgan for a term of three years. Thus was founded the famed Franklin school. 1n this work John Shaw, Hugh Ferguson, and Timothy Rardin were most active and untiring. Up to 1816, or later, this school embraced all for a radius of two and a half miles. A college or other advanced school was not within their means. A good substitute was founded in a well-selected library, which has been in existence fur about fifty years. In its few thousand pages was condensed what was known in science, literature, history, and the arts, as well as the science of human government from Blackstone and Kent, supplemented by the Jefferson and Madison papers, including also the ablest aothors on political economy. He that read these volumes well and intelligibly found in them a good sobstitute for a university course. 1t is not within the scope of this note to follow those who have gone from this school, with genius and intellect lighted up, to usefulness and fame. Mr. Shaw was the only one of the group named with a fair business education, though not learned, in the present acceptation of the term. He was a good reader, a good scribe, and an expert in figures. On him devolved the clerkship and financial duties of the school, very much of those labors for the township, two or more terms as county commissioner, and four terms as representative in the Legislature, from 1819 to 1830. It seemed a rule of his life to seek no place, yet shrink from no duty and shun no responsibility. "For thirty-seven years Timothy Rardin served his neighbors as justice of the peace. Ho was no ordinary country 'squire,-he was a justice. From his court of some le w and well-adjudged equity but three appeals were ever taken to a higher court. None of his decisions were ever reversed. "Hugh Ferguson had gone to school ninety days in Pennsylvania, and had not lived in the vicinity of a school or church from 1784 to 1810. His place was in council, or in execution of an enterprise. His public service consisted of pioneer labor in locating most of the leading roads of the county, as trustee (of the township) and overseer of the poor of his township. His ambition lay in discharge of his duty to his family, ministering to the wants of the afflicted, and doing his duty to the school and his church." METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF NEW RICHMOND. At and near New Richmond Methodist meetings were first held at the houses of Jacob and Daniel Light, and at Nathan Layeock's, in the present Mount Pisgah neighborhood, soon after 1805. As the settlers came in the membership of the church, which was organized about this period, increased, and in 1817 those that belonged were Nathan and Nancy Laycock, Daniel and Susanna Light, Jacob and Catherine Light, Elizabeth Morin, Violet Cook, Barbara Robb, James and Lettie Warren, Ann Kennedy, Anne Tedrow, Elisha Evans, Hannah Tatman, Benjamin Vaneman, Caleb S. and Ann Walker, Mary Gesney, Lavina Underwood, William and Mary McDonald, John and Mary Martin, Sidney Martin, John Brown, Alice Brown, Cornelius and Mary Stewart, and Ann Piper. Daniel Light and Nathan Laycock were the first class-leaders, In 1822 a small brick house of worship was erected on the present church-lot, in which preaching was held until the present " Trimble chapel" displaced it in 1851. It is an attractive two-story brick, and received its name in honor of the Rev. J. Trimble, who had previously served the church as a presiding elder. The builders were Finnan Herbert and James Hill. On the same lot is a parsonage, which was erected in 1861 by Edwin House, and both buildings have recently been made comfortable by extensive repairs. The present offrcial board of the church is composed of Stephen Jackson, D. A. Reese, E. House, M. J. Stokes, H. Mathias, 0. B. Day, D. Woolly, U. C. Mockbee, G. A. Phifer, R. L. Gest, Jennie Sinks, and Mary Ryan. Since 1853, New Richmond has been regarded as a station among the appointments of the Cincinnati Conference, and prior to that date and from 1830 the church was served by the ministers of the New Richmond Circuit. Still earlier, from 1798 till 1830, the place had its ministerial service from Miami and White Oak Circuits. The following have been the ministers from 1833 to the present, the names of the previous ministers appearing in an account of the Amelia Church : 1833, Revs. Isaac C. Hunter, H. E. Pitcher ; 1834, Revs. John Collins, Wm. T. Hand ; 1835, Revs. Z. Connell, G. W. Maly ; 1836, Revs, Z. Connell, Robert Cheney ; 1837, Revs. D. Whitcomb, Wm. Parrish ; 1838, Revs. Levi White, Edward D. Roe ; 1839, Revs. Levi White, G. R. Jones ; 1840, Revs. Wm. H.. Fyffee, G. R. Jones ; 1841, Revs. Wesley Rowe, Edward Estill ; 1842, Revs. Wm. Simmons, Edward Estill ; 1843, Revs. W. H. Lawder. Jacob Young ; 1844, Revs. W. H. Lawder, John Barton ; 1845, Revs. John W. Clark, A. J. McLaughlin ; 1846, Revs. John W. Clark, Joseph Gasner ; 1847, Revs. C. W. Sears, Joseph Gasner ; 1848, Revs. N. Westerman, Joseph Gatch ; 1849, Revs. N. Westerman, Levi Miller ; 1850, Revs. M. G. Purkiser, E. G. West ; 1851, Revs. M. G. Purkiser, Aug. Verhoof ; 1852, Revs. Peter Holt- singer, Wm. B. Jackson ; 1853-54, Rev. John W. Cassett ; 1855, Rev. Isaac Neff; 1856, Rev. John F. Spence ; 185758, Rev. George Parrott ; 1859-60, Rev. J. W. Cassett ; 1861-62, Rev. Joseph Gatch ; 1863-64, Rev. W. E. Hines ; 1865, Rev. Edward McHugh ; 1866-67, Rev. Charles Kalbfus ; 1868-70, Rev. Wm. H. Lawdon ; 187172, Rev. H. C. Middleton ; 1873-75, Rev. J. S. Whiting ; 1876, Rev. A. Hamilton ; 1877-78, Rev. L. M. Davis. FIRST REGULAR BAPTIST CHURCH OF NEW RICHMOND. This body was organized Feb. 20,1819, with the following members : Benjamin Tibbitts, Moses Tibbitts, Robert Earhart, Joseph Durham, Henry Mitchell, Solomon Whidden, John Crawford, Job Hall, Robert Iles, Margaret McClure, Ruth Earhart, Jerusha Durham, Margaret Crawford, Lydia Moss, Submit Tibbitts, and Bridget Mitchell. Delegates from sister-churches were present, as follows : 420 - HISTORY OF CLERMONT COUNTY, OHIO. from Ten-Mile, Hezekiah Lindsey, Reuben Laycock, and Abel Denham ; and from East Fork, Elder John Richmond, Samuel Fountain, and Henry Donham, John Crawford was chosen the first deacon, Moses Tibbetts the first clerk, and John Donham the first treasurer of the church. Many members were added by confession and baptism, and a considerable number became connected by letter. Among others were R. Hall, R. McDonald, R. Applegate, Hamilton Miller, Patty Mulloy, John Nugill, William Drake, Mary Drake, Betsy Stone, Theodosia Miller, Zebulon Applegate, Sally Mitchell, John Wheeler, Mary Davis, Joseph Durham, James Watson, Robert Slye, William Goble, William Benson, Sanford Tewell, James Leach, Nancy Gibbs, Sarah Hancock, Zebulon Applegate, Jr., Simeon Hutchinson, and Elisha Jones. On the 19th of March it was voted by the church that the meetings be held at Mr. McClure's new house at New Richmond. Other places were occupied, but September, 1811, Messrs. Crawford, Jeffries, and French were appointed a committee to build a meeting-house. The edifice, which yet stands in New Richmond, was erected the following year, but was not dedicated until May 21, 1843, when the exercises were conducted by the Rev. L. French. In 1859 and in subsequent years it has been repaired and is yet a comfortable place of worship. The church has taken very positive grounds against what it considered the evils of the day. Jan. 20, 1821, it resolved "That we will not hold fellowship with members of the church joining the Masonic society," and frequent disapprovals of the system of American slavery were made. In 1842 the church avowed its purpose " not to fellowship with those who sustained or countenanced that institution," and subsequently it emphatically declared that slavery was sinful and must not be countenanced by church members. In 1823, Robert Iles was licensed by the church to "exercise his gift as a preacher whenever he may be called," and others who were formerly members of the church became messengers of the gospel. The first pastor of the church was the Rev. William Robb, who preached here in connection with a number of other appointments, This oustom yet prevails, the present minister, the Rev. A, K. Sargent, being also the preacher for the Nicholsville and Clermont Academy Societies. The church has had the labors of a number of ministers, among them having been the Revs. Stephens, Hancock, Osborne, Cox, Lyon, French, Smith, Dinkleton, Siegfried, Dolby, De Garmo, E. R. Hera, W. H. Eller, and the present, A. K. Sargent. Among other deacons than those mentioned were Benjamin Morris, J. Durham, W. H. Hancock ; the present deacons are James Watson acd Stephen Goble. J. G. Moorehead is the church clerk, and Johnson Crawford treasurer. Other clerks have been J. C. Jeffries, J. B. Flemming, James Watson, S. B. Sims, J. K. Parker, D. D. Baker, and J. Tritt. The present membership of the church is 63, and a flourishing Sunday-school is maintained, which has J. D. Baker for superintendent. FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF NEW RICHMOND. In pursuance of a public notice to this effect a number of persons assembled March 11, 1821, and, after having chosen James Wilden moderator and John Archard clerk, resolved to form a Presbyterian Church. This proposition was assented to by James Wilden, John Archard, Thomas Collard (who were elected the first ruling elders), William Rardin, Louis Renno, William Bell, Nathaniel Barber, Robert Davis, James Cooper, Thomas Ashburn, John Derry, Mary Rardin, Martha Wilden, Ann Derry, Sarah Reno, Susanna Ashburn, Catharine Collard, Catherine Haines, Jennie Cooper, Elizabeth Archard, Ellen Davis, Alice Hodge, and Hannah Barber. The Presbytery of Washington having been asked to recognize this new body, Rev. Robert B. Dobbins and Rev. John Ross were appointed to proceed to New Richmond and ordain the elders. For this purpose a meeting was held June 15, 1821, and John Archard was ordained, the other two having previously been ordained, to the elder's office. At a meeting which soon followed, Hannah Barber and Susan Ashburn became members of the church, and within a few years John Molyneaux, David Tremper, Harriet Tremper, Alex. Porter, Janet Johnston, John Johnston, John McNair, John Porter, James Gowdy, Ellen I. Gowdy, Samuel Molyneaux, Margaret Quinlan. Elizabeth Davis, John Hays, Margaret Williamson, Sally Naylor, Daniel Davis, and Harriet Ashburn also became connected with the church as members. On the 25th of December, 1822, a meeting of the church was held to elect trustees and a clerk to serve the interests of the congregation, which had recently erected its first house of worship, the corner-stone of which was laid on the 14th of the preceding June. On that occasion Rev. Joshua L. Wilson preached most effectively from Psalm lxxxii. 2 ; and on the following Sabbath 22 additions were made to the church, John Archard, Nathaniel Barker, and Robert Davis were elected trustees, and Louis Renno clerk, who were properly qualified before David Jones, a justice of the peace. The parsonage of the church was erected in 1849, through the efforts of the Rev. O. H. Newton, and the present church edifice, a fine brick structure, in 1856 and 1857, while the Revs. Richard Bently and Walter Mitchel were the pastors of the church. But the steeple was not erected nor the bell provided until 1870, when the Rev, H. A. Ketchum exerted himself to place the church property in its present fine condition. For more than a year the church was destitute of a stated ministry, and was dependent upon neighboring churches for preaching services. On the 29th of November, 1823, the Rev. Samuel G. Lowry became the first pastor, and maintained that relation towards the New Richmond Church nearly two years. Rev, Benjamin Graves came next and remained a year, when he was succeeded by the Rev. Stephen Lindsey, whose pastorate also continued a year. Sept. 18, 1829, the Rev. Thomas Cole, a missionary under the direction of the American Home Missionary Society, commenced preaching statedly for the church, and continued about three years. He was succeeded by the Rev. Edward Garland, who closed a two years' ministry Dec, 16, 1834. Until June 10, 1837, the church was without a regular minister, but now Rev. James Blakeslee became the pastor, and continued until Dec. 16, 1838. The following May Rev. James B. Walker, from Akron, Ohio, began a pastor- OHIO TOWNSHIP - 421 ate which continued nearly four years. October, 1843, the Rev. Edward Schofield was installed pastor, and remained three years. The ministerial services of the Rev. O. H. Newton began here in the fall of 1847, but he was not installed pastor until the fall of 1849. He served the church with great fidelity until 1855, when he became the pastor of a church at Delaware, Ohio. In January, 1856, the Rev. Richard Bently entered upon a year's pastorate, his successor, for the same length of time, being the Rev. Walter Mitchel. From 1858 till 1860 the church was without a pastor, but in the spring of the latter year the Rev. William Essick was installed, and was pastor until June, 1862. The Revs. M. P. Jameson and Dr. Andrews each supplied the church for short periods, but for two years the church was again without regular preaching. In February, 1866, the Rev. John Rankin began a two- years' pastorate, and soon after he left the Rev. H. A. Ketchum was engaged as a stated supply, and March, 1869, he was installed as pastor. His pastorate was terminated in July, 1872, and the following August the Rev. O. H. Harris began a pastoral connection which continued until 1875. In the summer of 1876 the Rev. I). B. Duncan commenced preaching for the church, and after he was graduated from Lane Seminary, in 1877, became the pastor, still holding that relation in connection with the church at Nicholsville. The membership of the church is at present about 100, but double that number belonged at one time, and the aggregate membership has been greatly diminished by removals and death. The present elders are Johnson Tremper, William Sturges, T. P. White, and R. A. Molyneaux. The latter is also the clerk of the sessions. Among other elders have been Daniel Davis, William Rariden, Alex. Porter, Nathaniel Barber, and William Walkins. A flourishing Sunday-school has been maintained by the church many years, and is at present superintended by Prof. J. A. I. Lowes. EVANGELICAL PROTESTANT ST. PAUL'S CHURCH OF NEW RICHMOND. This church was organized in 1848 by Rev. Hoffzimmer, who came from Cincinnati for that purpose, and who also preached for the following two years. Among the associating members were Charles Wulf, John A. Kratzer, Adam Moser, Philip Broemer, Michael Hausserman, Dr. Schroem, and a number of others. The meetings were first held in the old Universalist church, but in a few years a small meeting-house for the use of the society was erected on an adjoining lot. In this the congregation worshiped until September, 1877, when the present fine edifice was occupied. It was conseorated Sept. 2, 1877, by Pastor Eisenlohr and others, of Cincinnati, and among those who attended the exercises were 800 people who came from that city on a special boat. They marched in procession from the wharf to the church, where they were greeted by the new pastor, Rev. G. F. Englehart, who has since been the minister of the church. The church edifice had been begun about a year previously, the corner-stone having been laid August 27, 1876, and was also made an occasion of public interest. The house is 40 by 75 feet, of brick, presents a fine appearance, and interiorly is handsomely finished. Its cost was $7000. The present church council consists of Louis Hausserman, President ; Andrew Buehler, Vice-President ; William Fiening, Secretary ; and C. G. Seitz, Treasurer. The latter is also the superintendent of the Sunday-school which the congregation maintains. The former has 80 members, and the latter is composed of 68 families. A flourishing ladies' aid society exists in connection with the church, whose efforts to assist in liquidating the debt of that body have been very successful. In the past few years $1000 have been raised by this means. The pastors of the congregation have generally shared their labors with the congregation at Willowville, in Union township, and have been very numerous, seldom remaining more than a year. ST. PETER'S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. This house of worship was erected in 1851, and was consecrated the following year by Archbishop Purcell. It is of brick, 32 by 62 feet, and cost about $3000. The congregation which occupies it was formed in 1850, and was composed of about 20 families ; at present the number is between 80 and 90 families. They have had the pastoral services of the Revs. R. H. Herzogrecon, N. Fuchs, John Becker, Aug. Teibbe, John Weise, H. Rieken, E. WiUdhorst, and Ch. French. In connection with the congregation are a number of well-organized societies whose zealous labors have contributed much to the success of the church work. The chief of these—the St. Boniface Benevolent Society—was incorporated Dec. 4, 1871, with Moses A. Fieler, Joseph Steverding, Frank Thiel, trustees, and Joseph B. Willenbrink, clerk. In 1879 it had 38 members. THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH OF NEW RICHMOND was organized in 1842 by Jasper J. Moss with 12 members, as follows : Edward Turner and wife, E. R. Oakley and wife, W. H. Moss and wife, H. Lindsey and wife, Wm. McGuire and wife, L. J. Tingley, and Hattie Richardson. The meetings were first held in the Universalist church and other places until the present house of worship was provided, about 1858. It was erected by a committee composed of H. Lindsey, John Dimmitt, and N. M. Preble. The house is a frame 32 by 44 feet, and cost $1800. The congregation numbers about 68 members, and the present elders are Hezekiah Lindsey and Robert Hancock ; other elders have been N. M. Preble and L. J. Tingley. The present deacons are J. C. Kilgour and A. J. Morin ; and among others in this office have been W. H. Moss and Edward Turner. Among the ministers have been the Revs. Moss, Lockwood, Lucas, Murdock, Patterson, West, and Ridgeway. The Sunday-school has N. M. Preble for superintendent. THE NEW RICHMOND UNIVERSALIST SOCIETY was formed after 1835, and had among its members Joseph Williamson, James Robb, Thomas Kinnelly, Robert, Frank, and Mary Fee, Samuel McKown, and M. II. Davis. A meeting-house was erected for the use of the society, whose 422 - HISTORY OF CLERMONT COUNTY, OHIO. corner-stone was laid by the Rev. Daniel Parker, a Restorationist minister, living in Monroe. The house yet stands, but has long since been used for a dwelling. The Rev. Mr. Gilmore was one of the first ministers to serve the society, which at one time was quite flourishing, but which, about 1855, became extinct. THE PROTESTANT METHODIST CHURCH AT NEW RICHMOND was organized in 1840, and had among its early members Wm. Carnes, Milton Kennedy, James Warren, Joshua Brown, Robert Abercrombie, Thomas Selvage, Joseph Aston, U. C. Mockbee, Wm. Reeves, James Buntin, Charles Hutchinson, John Dansberry, Philip Platner, Wm. Spickard, Jane Archard, Lettie Warren, and others. The same year a frame meeting-house was erected at New Richmond, which was used until the society went down, about 1856. A few years later it was sold for a residence, the society having become wholly extinct, although having had at one time 75 members. Among the ministers were the Revs. Joel and Reuben Dolby, Jonathan Flood, Sanford Flood, Charles Williams, S. Ewing, and John Gear, the latter being the last regular preacher. COLORED BAPTIST CHURCH OF NEW RICHMOND. Some time before 1850 a Baptist society of colored persons was formed at New Richmond by Elder Satchel, of Cincinnati, ten or fifteen persons uniting in membership. Since then the society has greatly increased in numbers and at present reports 125 members. Among the deacons have been John Prosser, J. G. Walker, Peter Mathews, Essex Whitfield, Howard Tate, Simeon Morlan, Isaac Sneed, J. Abbott, William Dunn, Oliver Moore, William Paxton, M. Young, Simon Beasley, Joseph Roberts, Howard Boone, and Daniel Smith,—the last five serving at present. The meetings were first held on the corner of Columbia and Quarry Streets, but in 1861 a small brick meeting-house was built on the west part of Market Street, which is yet the place of worship. Not far from this time the colored people of Ohio formed a Methodist society which had in 1851 fifteen members under the leadership of two local preachers,—George Andrews and Peter Coleman. The next year it had John Ridgeway as the first regular minister. The meetings were held in the old brick school-house and later in the Universalist church. Subsequently an old stable was moved to the corner of Centre and Quarry Streets, which served as a plaoe of meeting until the present house was built on the same lot in 1865. It is 35 by 50 feet, of brick, and is in good condition, and is known as THE LEWIS CHAPEL OF THE AFRICAN METHODIST CHURCH. In 1879 the trustees were Joseph Graves, Daniel Lewis, Othello Fox, Owen Mathews, and Peter Spotswood. On the same lot is a good parsonage, which was built in 1859. The society has 115 members, forming four classes, under the leadership of John Finley, Gilbert Smith, Othello Fox, and Peter Spotswood. A Sunday-school, having 40 members, has Henry Fox for superintendent. The present pastor of the church is M. L. Rodex. MOUNT PISGAH METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. As long ago as sixty years a class of Methodists worshiped in this part of the township, having among its members John and Elizabeth Cox, Edmund and Barbara Lindsey, Darius Butler and wife, William and Jeditha Doane, John Lindsey and wife, Daniel Light and wife, John Nesbit and wife, and others. About 1820 a log meeting-home was built on the site of the present brick school-house, which was used until 1839, when a brick church was erected by John Nesbit, Robert Nichols, Edmund Lindsey, James Fagin, and Judson Calhoun, as trustees. This served until 1864, when the present frame edifice was built. It is a fine frame, standing on seven acres of ground, a portion of which serves as a place of burial. It cost $3200, and was dedicated by the Rev. Langley, of Kentucky. The present trustees are J. W. Lindsey, Joseph Surrey, John Cox, James Dillon, A. E. Wyatt, Daniel Light, John Terwilliger, Charles Light, and A. J. Temple. The members at this point belong at present to the Bantam Circuit, but formerly had the same ministerial supply as New Richmond and Amelia. LINDALE BAPTIST CHURCH. This body was organized July 17, 1819, as the " Second Ten-Mile Baptist Church," with a constituent membership as follows: Samuel Tibbitts, Sr., Samuel Tibbitts, Jr., Charles Tibbitts, Andrew Coombs, Sr., Mark P. Stinchfield, Joseph Small, Walter Butler, Rebecca Tibbitts, Reliance Tibbitts, Abigail Tibbitts, Susanna Tibbitts, Ruth Whitney, Abigail Coombs, Betsey M. Coombs, Rachel Stinchfield, Jane Dickinson, and probably a few others. On the 14th of August, 1819, Samuel Tibbitts was chosen the first deacon, and in 1825, Andrew Coombs, Sr., was the second elected to that office. The present deacons are Newton Corbley and F. W. Leeds, and others who have served in that office have been Andrew Coombs, Jr., and Joshua Sims. Andrew Coombs was the church clerk till 1847 ; Andrew Coombs, Jr., from that date till 1864 ; William C. Coombs till 1878 ; Frank H. Corbley till 1879, and the present clerk is H. C. Corbley. W. C. Coombs is the church treasurer, and Rev. A. K. Sargent the pastor. The first pastor was the Rev. lchabod Temple, and he continued many years. Others who have ministered to the church have been the Revs. W. Hancock, George Sapp, J. K. Morris, P. W. Fuller, W H. Dolby, James Sargent, W. H. Eller, William Cox, James Lyon, C. R. Richmond, William D. Spaldon, J. D. Hatfield, John De Garmo, E. R. Hera, J. W. Dinkleman, and Simeon Siegfried. The church has had an aggregate membership of 274, and at present 51 belong. The society has had two buildings for public worship, the first a frame, which was erected in 1830, and the present brick edifice, which was erected in 1853 at a cost of about $1500. It is eligibly located, and in connection is a neatly-kept cemetery. The trustees are Newton Corbley, John Donham, and W. C. Coombs. A Sunday-school was organized about 1830, which had Andrew Coombs, Jr., for superintendent. This office has also been filled by L. L. Johnston, William C. Coombs, J. T. Wheeler, and A. J. Mulick, and the present, H. C. Corbley. A membership of 40 scholars is reported. GEORGE W. CASTLEN FOR half a century a resident of New Richmond, and thirty years one of the leading business men of that city, George W. Castlen has made a name honored in the community and of acknowledged repute in mercantile circles. His father, Andrew Castlen, was born in Richmond Co., Va., and married Miss Nancy Leet, of Powhattan County, in the same State. Andrew was never five miles away from Richmond until his nineteenth year, but shortly after his marriage he emigrated to Kentucky, where, in Oldham County, on Sept. 8, 1818, George W. Castlen was born. The subject of this sketch received a limited education in Gallatin Co., Ky., and never attended school after his thirteenth year ; but, being a hard-working and industrious boy and young man, he improved his leisure hours when his day's work was over by reading and studying of nights. His mother, Nancy (Leet) Castlen, died when he was only nine years old, in 1827, and in 1831 his father removed to New Richmond, Ohio. Here George W. went to work milling for John Atkinson & Co., with whom he was employed three years ; then he was engaged in coopering ; worked two years for Atkinson & Co., losing but two days, and was foreman for Charles Butler and William Carnes. He then followed coopering and draying up to July, 1849, when he went to clerking for Sturges & Gowdy at one dollar per day ; then he clerked for William Sturges for five years, and in 1855 entered into partnership with Mr. Sturges, under the firm-name of Sturges & Castlen, which continued until March 1, 1861. Then for two years he carried on a tin shop and furniture business, and having sold that out embarked in the dry goods trade, and finally in the grocery trade, in which he is now doing a most extensive business in partnership with his sons, Thomas and Andrew. He was married March 8, 1838, to Jane Danson, daughter of William Danson, one of the first settlers in New Richmond, by which union he had the following children, —Stephen (deceased), Sarah Elizabeth, married to H. R. Matthias, William Henry (deceased), Thomas, and Andrew. His wife died Sept. 3, 1848, and he was the second time married, on Dec. 24, 1849, to Caroline Oakley, of the State of New Jersey, a noble woman of rare business judgment and tact, and to her wise counsels, good management, and splendid business and domestic quahties is the success of Mr. Castlen most largely attributable, for in all the relations of life she was a true helpmate to him and a powerful auxiliary in his business. On the paternal side Mr. Castlen is of German extraction,—whence come the thrift and industry that have distinguished his successful career in business,—and on the maternal line of English descent, from which is derived that cool, penetrating judgment that so characterizes his course of life. For thirty- two years he has been a zealous and prominent member of the Baptist Church. He is a pronounced Republican in politics, but has ever refused to dabble in political campaigns or be a candidate for office, preferring to give his exclusive time and attention to the mercantile business in which he has won distinction. He has served as a director of the First National Bank of New Richmond, has been president of the Cincinnati, New Richmond and Chilo Packet Company, and is now a stockholder in the Big Sandy Packet Company. He has ever been largely identified with the river interests and boating on the Ohio, and owned stock in the steamers " Mary Arnent" and Wild wood." He was a director in the New Richmond Building and Loan Association for ten years, and is now in the second one just organized, and is vice-president thereof. His son Thomas served four years in the Rebellion, in the 5th Ohio Cavalry. The large grocery establishment of G. W. Castlen & Sons, in New Richmond, is on the corner of Front and Quarry Streets, and is the largest in the county in the magnitude and volume of merchandise sold. In the past third of a century there have been many mutations in business, old houses have succumbed to the vicissitudes of trade and panics, new firms have arisen and then fallen, but amid all the changes, in all the monetary storms, and above all the financial wrecks, George W. Castlen has come out unscathed and uninjured, and constantly increased his business until he stands the leading merchant of his city, with a proud reputation at home and abroad as a man of unsullied honor and of character unassailable. OHIO TOWNSHIP - 423 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. THOMAS DONALDSON. Thomas Donaldson may be accounted as one of the pioneers and valuable men of Clermont County, as his life of' three-quarters of a century has been a useful one, and honorably identified with all reforms for the progress of humanity, both materially and morally. On the paternal side he is descended from illustrious Scotch ancestry, and on the maternal is of German extraction, His great-grandfather was Robert Donaldson, of Fife, Scotland. and his grandfather was William Donaldson, who married Mary Bradley, born in 1725 ; she died at Camberwell, in London, England, Oct. 27, 1792. William and his wife lived temporarily in America previous to the Revolution. Their son, Francis, was born Sept. 23, 1762, at New Brunswick, N. J. He was educated at St. Andrew's, Scotland, and at Cambridge University, England, after which he became a barrister in London. Jan. 14, 1794, he married Anna Margaretta Heineken, daughter of Christian and Ann (Dix) Heineken, and for some years was a prominent lawyer in London ; but the restraints and oppressive inequalities imposed by the aristocracy and monarchical rule of the kingdom conflicted with his republican ideas and convictions with regard to equality, justice, and freedom for all, and, as his principles were not to be sacrificed to any worldly positions or advancements, he decided that he must make a change in his business, and chose farming. He had been brought up without any knowledge ofsi such life ; therefore moved to the county of Durham, where for three or four years he faithfully studied his new calling. That is the county which originated and raised the Durham cattle of world-wide celebrity. Mr. Donald- son and his sons attended exhibitions and sales of some of the finest blooded Durham animals that have ever been produced. Mr. Donaldson moved to a large farm in Wales, where he and his family lived for eleven years. But even at so retired a home, and in so independent a life as farming, the effects of the social tyrannies were felt, and the restraints which the strict adherence to family and titles placed upon the position and advancement of the young people of that country caused Mr. Donaldson to feel that there was still another step to be taken towards freedom and progress for his family of sons and daughters. They turned their thoughts to America. In 1816 the two older sons, who had been educated in London (having among their schoolmates the Baring brothers, afterwards the celebrated bankers), and had also been with their father in the various branches of a farmer's life, concluded to come to this country and establish a home for themselves and the family. They located in Clermont County, just below New Richmond, in Ohio township, on the Dandridge survey, being the well-known " Haynes grant" of especial prominence at an early day. In 1821 the remainder of the family arrived at the new home, erected a homestead, and named the place " Fraudon," by which name the old Donaldson farm is known to this day. The children of Francis and Anna Margaretta (Heineken) Donaldson were Francis, born Oct. 10, 1794; Christian, born Dec. 13, 1795 ; Anna, born June 8, 1797 (who died young) ; William, born September, 1799 ; Mary, born May 3, 1801 (she was never married, and died while crossing the ocean on her way to England for her health); Jessie, born Nov. 27, 1802 (who also died young) ; Thomas, 424 - HISTORY OF CLERMONT COUNTY, OHIO born Nov. 27, 1805; and Jane, born Feb. 15, 1808 (she married Cyrus McNeely, of Ohio). Thomas, the subject of this sketch, was the youngest son, and fifteen years old when they came from Wales. He married in Cincinnati, April 24, 1833, Emily Hough, daughter of Dr. Hough, a celebrated physician of that city. Following this union were three children, who died in infancy, and the mother died April 10, 1836. Mr. Donaldson was the second time married, Aug. 31, 1837, to Susanna Everts Parker, daughter of Daniel and Priscilla Parker, who were from New England. From this union were the following children : Emily, Anna (deceased), Christian (a soldier in the Union army during the Rebellion ; he served in Company D, Seventh Ohio Cavalry, and was killed while marching, under Gen. Stoneman, on a foraging expedition), Howard (deceased), Mary Jane, Elvira, Jessie (deceased), and Parker. Jessie married Thomas South, and Mary Jane married Cyrus Paul, with whom she is now living in Iowa. At the time of his first marriage Mr. Donaldson was living in New Richmond, and was engaged in the mercantile business with his brothers Christian and William. In those earlier times it was the custom to keep in the stores a decanter and glasses on the counter, with liquor furnished for customers and visitors. Mr. Donaldson had pronounced views against intemperance, and could not believe in drinking to even a moderate degree, and concluded to make his convictions good by discarding everything of the kind,—neither keeping it for sale, or to give to friends and neighbors. For several years after his second marriage he and his wife were members of the Baptist Church in New Richmond ; but when the questions of temperance and anti-slavery began to be agitated, the church, as a whole, was unwilling to have such subjects discussed, especially upon the affirmative side ; but Mr. and Mrs. Donaldson must take a stand, must make their principles vital, else they failed to live out their Christianity, failed to fulfill Christ's message as they read it, therefore they severed their connection with the church. Soon after his second marriage Mr. Donaldson moved to his present residence, about two miles above New Richmond, on the Ohio River, and in Beal's survey, No. 847. His fine farm and pleasant home occupy the river-hills, commanding some of the finest views in the Ohio Valley, and is called " Penmaen," a Welsh name signifying "The brow of the hill." Mr. Donaldson was always a staunch anti-slavery man and an early abohtionist, taking an active part in conventions and the various other means of forwarding the cause. Ile was the personal friend of William Lloyd Garrison, Joshua R. Giddings, James G. Birney, Gamaliel Bailey, Parker Pillsbury, and many others of the heroes of the " Old Liberty party," many of whom enjoyed the hospitality of his home at different times as they journeyed back and forth through the country laboring for the emancipation of the slaves. James G. Birney found him a ready and faithful friend during his struggle in keeping The Philanthropist alive in New Richmond. In 1843 he was at Dayton with United States Senator Thomas Morris, who was to deliver a speech, but the meet ing was attacked by an infuriated mob of pro-slavery men, when Mr. Donaldson assisted that distinguished apostle of freedom to escape from their violence. The Donaldson family had left the Old for the New World to escape tyranny and wrong in all forms, and in this country they have espoused the side of humanity on all questions, without fear and regardless of consequences. Mr. Donaldson, with the characteristic spirit of his honored lineage, was always foremost in introducing and forwarding enterprises for the good of the public. He was the main mover in agitating the subject, and having built the first wharf at New Richmond, has done much by his means, voice, and example to improve the public roads. In the agricultural fairs at Franklin, Olive Branch, and Bantam he ever took a conspicuous place as exhibitor, and tried in every way to encourage and enthuse those about him to improve their farm products and stock and bring proofs of the same to the fairs, that the public might see the results of their enterprise and profit thereby. e was always greatly interested in fine stock, in the raising of which he has not been surpassed in this part of the country ; he was one of the first in the southern part of the State to introduce blooded stock. Long before most farmers had fruits to any amount or variety, he was quite extensively engaged in the culture of various kinds, which in horticultural circles won an enviable record. In politics he is a thorough and stalwart Republican, as his whole life would indicate. In all moral reforms and educational movements he has stood in the advance, and has at all times labored to educate public sentiment up to a high standard. He always refused to sell his corn or any of his farm products to the distilleries, would never allow tobacco to be raised on his laud or have anything to do with the sale of it. One reason for quitting merchandising was his advance on these great moral questions beyond the prevailing opinions, which interfered with and curtailed his business, and when he could no longer succeed in purchasing an entire stock of free-labor goods, he changed to agricultural pursuits, while his brothers, who were his partners, established a hardware-store in Cincinnati. Although not a member of any religious denomination, he inclines to the Unitarian faith, but his entire career and dealings with mankind make of themselves chapters of faith and Christianity that make him worthy to be counted among the long line of the heroes of the past who have labored and died for humanity, and for the building up of the world to a higher type of civihzation. His wife has truly been a helpmeet in all respects, supporting him and lending a hand in every effort for good, either at home or abroad. They have lived to see the truth triumph many times, but some causes arc still in shadow. ANNA MARGARETTA (HEINEKEN) DONALDSON. One of the remarkable women who lived in Clermont County was Anna Margaretta (Heineken) Donaldson, a lady of singularly gentle disposition, but of determined MARTIN RYAN. Martin Ryan was born Dec. 18, 1791, in New Jersey, and moved in his childhood with his parents to Hamilton Co., Ohio. He was united in marriage, on Nov. 18, 1813, to Hester Price. In February, 1821, under the ministry of the noted Rev. Arthur W. Elliott, he and his wife joined the Methodist Episcopal Church at Sharonville. They soon became active members, and their house was always a home for the itinerant preachers. For over forty years he was a steward in the church. March 15, 1832, Mr. Ryan, with his wife, moved to New Richmond, where for a long time he was engaged in the lumber business, in which by his good judgment and management he acquired a nice fortune for those days. His wife died Feb. 6, 1872, having for fifty-nine years been a devoted companion. He was the second time married, on Oct. 13, 1872, by Rev. M. S. Baker, to Miss Mary E. Baker, who with love and devotion most tenderly cared for him to the hour of his death. Martin Ryan was quite feeble for a number of years before his death, but in all his afflictions he manifested a Christian spirit. He died July 20, 1878, with bright hopes of heaven, after a long and honorable life of over fourscore years. In October, 1812, he volunteered in Capt. Asa Hinkle's company of Ohio militia, and was out six months in the war. He had no children by either of his wives, but with that kindness and benevolence that ever actuated him he reared eight children in his family. An honest man, he was true to his God, his country, and himself, and left an honored name. WILLIAM HAWKINS. The subject of this sketch is a solid farmer of Ohio township, residing two miles back from the Ohio River, and largely engaged in fruit raising. He was horn March 25, 1810, in Anderson township, Hamilton Co., Ohio, and was the son of Richard and Sarah Hawkins. His grandfather, William Hawkins, with his family, emigrated from Ball Fire Ferry, N. J., to Hamilton County in 1793, when his father was a lad of fourteen years, and had seven sons and six girls, to wit: Nancy, Cassandra, Elisha, William, Mary, Martha, Ruhana, Richard, David, Johnson, Reazin, Thomas, and one infant, who died quite young. William moved to Ohio township in 1833, and the only education he ever received at the common schools was during one term of three months. He was married March 4, 1833, to Mary Ann Lindsey, daughter of Edmund and Barbara Lindsey, by whom he has had the following children : Amanda, married to George Kincaid ; Elisha; Nancy, married to Perry Robb the first. time, and the second to George W. Lewis ; Richard ; Edmund ; Thomas; Mary, married to John Lillich ; Ida, married to Joseph Fisher ; and Emma, married to Charles Lewis ; all living, and four others deceased. He has resided thirty-four years where lie now lives, on his beautiful farm, lying on the New Richmond and Nicholsville turnpike. Since 1832 he has been a zealous member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, to the support of which he is ever a warm and large contributor. For a long time he has belonged to the Independent Order of Odd-Fellows, in Mistletoe Lodge, No. 97, of New Richmond, and of the encampment in that city, and has passed the chairs in both several times, and at the present time is Chief Patriarch of the latter. For four years he has been a member of Buckeye Lodge, No.150, of Free and Accepted Masons, in New Richmond, and for six years has served as one of the trustees of Ohio township, and also the same length of time as justice of the peace. In 1863 he was elected by a large majority as a county commissioner, and held this very important office three years, and had for his colleagues during that time Peter M. Snell, F. J. Roudebush, Silas R. Hutchinson, and J. P. Molen. After his term of office expired he took the contract and built the large addition to the county infirmary of the insane department, but which, with all the other buildings, were destroyed by fire in the summer of 1877. 'Squire Hawkins, by his industry, has acquired a nice competence in this world's goods, and his public and private character has gained him the esteem of the community, by whom he is held in the highest respect.