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CHAPTER IV. LAND GRANTS, ENTRIES AND SURVEYS. On December 20, 1783, the state of Virginia authorized its delegates to make a deed to the United States of all its rights in the territory northwest of the Ohio river, upon condition that the territory so ceded should "be laid out and formed into states, containing a suitable extent of territory, not less than one hundred nor more than one hundred fifty miles square, or as near there unto as circumstances will admit; and that the states so formed shall be distinct republican states and admitted members of the federal union, having the same rights of sovereignty, freedom and independence as the other states." These were only a part of the conditions. Among others were the following: "That the French and Canadian inhabitants and other settlers of the Kaskaskies, St. Vincents and the neighboring villages, who have professed themselves citizens of Virginia, shall have their possessions and titles confirmed to them and be protected in the enjoyment of their rights and liberties. That a quantity, not exceeding one hundred fifty thousand acres of land, promised by this state, shall be allowed and granted to then Colonel, now General, George Rogers Clark, and to the officers and soldiers of his regiment who marched with him when the posts Kaskaskies and St. Vincents were reduced, and to the officers and soldiers who have since been incorporated into the said regiment, to be laid off in one tract, the length of which not to exceed double the breadth, in such place, on the northwest side of the Ohio, as a majority of the officers shall choose, and to be afterward divided among the said officers and soldiers in due proportion, according to the laws of Virginia. That in case the quantity of good land on the southeast side of the Ohio, upon the waters of the Cumberland river, and between the Green river and the Tennessee river, which have been reserved by law for the Virginia troops upon continental establishment, should, from the North Carolina line bearing in farther upon the Cumberland lands than was expected, prove insufficient for their legal bounties, the deficiencies should be made up to the said troops in good lands, to be laid off between the rivers Scioto and Little Miami, on the northwest side of the river Ohio, in such proportions as have been engaged to them by the laws of Virginia. That all the lands within the territories so ceded to the United States, and not reserved for or appropriated to any of the before mentioned purposes or disposed of as bounties to the officers and soldiers of the American army, shall be considered a common fund for the use and benefit of such of the United States as have become, or shall become, members of the Confederation or Federal Alliance of the said states, Virginia included, according to their usual respective proportions in the general charge and expenditure, and shall be faithfully and bona fide disposed of for that purpose, and for no other use or purpose whatsoever." In agreement with these conditions, a deed was made on March 1, 1784. The number Of soldiers in the Virginia continental line proved to be one thousand one hundred twentystfour. The tract reserved for them between the Scioto and Little Miami rivers became known as the "Virginia Military Tract." In 1783, the Continental line chose Col. Richard C. Anderson as principal surveyor on their behalf, and concluded a contract with him on December 17 in that year. On July 20, 1784, he opened an office at Louisville, Kentucky, but no entries were made north of the Ohio until August 1, 1787. The first work done on what is now Clinton county by a deputy surveyor was by Gen. Nathaniel Massie, whose name appears in 1792 and a number of subsequent years. Others were John Obannon, 1794 ; William 78 - CLINTON COUNTY, OHIO. Lytle, 1795; John Beasley, 1796; James Galloway, 1804; William Barlow, 1802; James Taylor, 1813; Walter Dun, 1820; Allen Latham, 1822; Cadwallader Wallace, 1822; E. P. Kendrick, 1833; A. D. Kendrick, 1847. These, with the exception of Walter Dun, all appear to have been employed on surveys through a number of years each, and probably the names of Nathaniel Massie and John Obannon are most frequently found on the records. The following is the record of the first entry made in the territory now comprising the county of Clinton: "No. 550, August 4, 1787. Richard C. Anderson and Mayo Carrington enter 4,000 acres of land on Military warrant No. 856, on the waters of the Little Miami, beginning three miles southeast of Col. Logan's encampment, in October, 1786, when a man deserted from him; running southwest 400 poles; and, from the beginning northeast 400 poles; thence at right angles southeast from each end of this line for quantity." In the same record, page 58, is the survey, as follows: "Surveyed for Richard Clough Anderson and Mayo Carrington 2,000 acres of land, on part of a military warrant No. 856, on the waters of the Little Miami, Beginning at a sugar tree, ash and black oak, running south forty-five degrees west 400 poles to three sugar trees; thence south forty five degrees east 800 poles, crossing a creek at 38 and at 200 poles to two sugar trees and a sassafras; thence north forty five degrees west 800 poles, crossing a branch at 70, and the creek at 360 poles, to the beginning. John Obannon, D. S. March 3, 1794. June 23, 1794. "Andrew Potter-C. C. "Charles Pigman- "David Flough, M." Although this tract was the first one entered in the county, it was not the first surveyed, as Nathaniel Massie had made several surveys in 1792-93. Several surveys were made August 6, 1787, being as follows : All on the "lower side of Caesar's creek ;" No. 567, by Clement Biddle, assignee, 905 2-3 acres; No. 569, by Archibald Blair, heir, 1,000 acres; No. 570, by John Anderson, 1,000 acres; No. 571, by Albert Gallatin, assignee, 766 1-3 acres; No. 567, by Col. Abram Buford, 1,000 acres; No. 583, by Isaac Webb, 1,000 acres; No. 625, by Thomas Finn, 1,500 acres. The entire number of entries made in the Clinton county portion of the tract, during the month of August, 1787, was one hundred and sixteen. Gen. Horatio Gates had for his share of the Virginia Military Tract twelve thousand five hundred acres, which he sold to his son-in-law, Dr. James Murray, who deeded to settlers such quantities of land as they chose to purchase, at the rate of "seven quarter dollars per acre." Murray's deeds are as follows: December 3, 1803, John McGregor, 200 acres, survey 1,632. December 3, 1803, James Magee, 250 acres, survey 1,632. December 12, 1803, Joseph Carter, 100 acres, survey 1,559. December 12, 1803, Robert Eachus, 160 acres, survey 1,558. December 13, 1803, John Vestal, 690 acres survey 1,559. December 13, 1803, James Moon, survey 1,558. December 13, 1803, Isaac Perkins, 67 acres, survey 1,558. December 13, 1803, James Odle, 159 acres, survey 1,558. December 19, 1803, Layton Jay, 50 acres survey 1,558. December 17, 1803, Jacob Haines, 125 acres survey 1,558. December 15, 1803, Center meeting house, 15 acres, survey 1,558. January 19, 1805, Solomon Stanbrough, 140 acres, survey 1,558. January 19, 1807, Samuel Stanton, 100 acres, survey 1,558. _________ David Ferris, 200 acres, survey 2,229. August 5, 1809, Mahlon Farquhar, 175 acres, survey 2,231. CLINTON COUNTY, OHIO - 79 August 5, 1809, William Mendenhall, 170 acres, survey 1,554. June 8, 1805, Nathan Linton, 1221 acres, survey 2,231. June 8, 1805, Mordecai Mendenhall, 146 acres, survey 1,554. December 17, 1800. Israel Wright, 517 acres, survey 1,554. February 7, 1805, Nathan Hines, 94 acres, survey 2,258. February 7, 1805, George Phillips, 200 acres, survey 2,232. February 4, 1812, John Ballard, 75 acres, survey 1,557. February 5, 1809, Daniel Linton, 100 acres, survey 2,248. December 21, 1809, David Ballard, 122 3/4 acres, survey 1,556. December 21, 1809, Hur Hodgson, 100 acres, survey 2,248. August 5, 1809, Enoch Ballard, 110 acres, survey 2,248. July 4, 1807, Enoch Wickersham, 200 acres, survey 2, 232. July 12, 1808, Daniel Hodgson, 117 1/2 acres, survey 2,248. July 12, 1808, Jonathan Hodgson, 118 acres, survey 2,848. December 26, 1806, Jacob Haines, 111 acres. January 26, 1807, Benjamin Farquhar, 100 acres, survey 1,554. August 5, 1809, John Hadley, 250 acres, survey 2.231. Nathan Mendenhall, 170 acres, 1,554. Stephen Mendenhall, survey 2,248. David Patterson, 41 acres, survey 2,248. September 20, 1824, Eekiel Leonard, 107 1/4 acres, survey 2,248. Any person holding a warrant for land in the Virginia Military Tract had the privilege of locating it in such place and such shape in the district as he chose, provided he did not encroach on previous locations. Consequently, surveys were made in all conceivable shapes, with no system whatever, and that confusion and litigation were occasioned later was not surprising. The only limitation in shape was that which by a Virginia statute required the breadth of each survey to be at least one-third its length in every part, unless the breadth was restricted by mountains, water courses or previous locations. Because of this lack of system, there were numerous interferences and encroachments of one land entry upon another, and there is at the present time great difficulty in the matter of tracing titles to these lands. The difficulties and dangers encountered by the early surveyors can hardly be understood by the people of the present generation, but so great were they that in the Virginia Military Tract a large portion of the tillable land in the entry-one-fourth, one-third or one-half-was often paid the surveyor for his labor. Not only here, but throughout all the lands of the West, the surveys were made principally in the winter, there being less danger then from the Indians, who were in their winter quarters. Surveying with deep snow on the ground and in the midst of heavy forests was not especially conducive to accuracy, and, in the case of the "Congress lands," as they are known, many blunders were made which were only discovered when the snow had melted and the face of the country was in full view. Gen. Nathaniel Massey was the most extensive surveyor and land speculator in Ohio in his time and was usually accompanied by three assistant surveyors, with each of whom were six men. Great caution was observed in their movements. The hunter went ahead, looking for game and keeping a sharp watch for Indians; the surveyor, two chainmen and a marker followed; the man with the packhorse and baggage came next, and some distance in the rear was a watchman, following on the trail and guarding against an attack from that direction. From John McDonald's "Life of General Massie," the following extract is quoted: "During the winter of 1794-95, Massie prepared a party to enter largely into the surveying business. Nathaniel Beasley, John Beasley and Peter Lee were employed as the assistant surveyors. The party set off from Manchester, well equipped, to prosecute 80 - CLINTON COUNTY, OHIO. their business, or, should an occasion offer, give battle to the Indians. They took the route of Logan's trace and proceeded to a place called the Deserted Camp, on Todd's fork of the Little Miami. "At this point, they commenced surveying, and surveyed large portions of land on Todd's fork and up the Miami to the Chillicothe town, thence up Massie's creek and Cresar's creek nearly to their heads. By the time the party had progressed thus far, winter had set in. The ground was covered with a sheet of snow from six to ten inches deep. During the tour, which continued upward of 'thirty days, the party had no bread. For the first two weeks, a pint of flour was distributed to each mess once a day, to mix with the soup in which meat had been boiled. When night came, four fires were made for cooking, that is, one for each mess. Around these fires, till sleeping time arrived, the company spent their time in the most social glee, singing songs and telling stories. When danger was not apparent or immediate, they were as merry a set of men as ever assembled. Resting time arriving, Massie always gave the signal, and the whole party would then leave their comfortable fires, carrying with them blankets, their fire arms and their little baggage, walking in perfect silence two or three hundred yards from their fires. They could then scrape away the snow and huddle down for the night. Each mess formed one bed. They would spread down on the ground one-half of the blankets, reserving the other half for covering. The covering blankets were fastened together by skewers, to prevent them from slipping apart. Thus prepared, the whole party crouched down for the night together, lying spoon fashion, with their rifles in their arms and their pouches under their heads for pillows. When one turned, the whole mess turned, or else the close range would be broken and the cold let in. When it was perfectly light, Massie would call up two of the men in whom he had most confidence and send them to reconnoiter and make a circuit around the fires, lest an ambuscade might be formed by the Indians to destroy the party as they returned to the fires. This was an invariable custom in every variety of weather. Self-preservation required this circumspection. Some time after this, while surveying on Caesar's creek, his men attacked a party of Indians, and the savages broke and fled. After the defeat of the Indians by Wayne, the surveyors were not interrupted by them; but on one of their excursions, still remembered as 'the starving tour,' the whole party, consisting of twenty-eight men, suffered extremely in a driving snow storm for about four days. They were in a wilderness, exposed to this severe storm, without hut, tent or covering, and, what was still more appalling, without any provisions and without road or even track to retreat on, and nearly one hundred miles from any place of shelter. On the third day of the storm. they luckily killed two wild turkeys, which were boiled and divided into twenty-eight parts and devoured with great avidity, head, feet, entrails and all. "In Symmes' Purchase, between the two Miami rivers, the territory was laid out into ranges, townships and sections, something after the system of the present government surveys, but in a manner which was defective. The sections were numbered from south to north, beginning at the southeast corner of each township. West of the Great Miami the surveys were made on the plan now in use by the government, which is the most complete and convenient of all. Section 16 in each government township, or one thirty-sixth part of each of the townships in the Symmes Purchase, was reserved for school purposes. In 1807, Congress enacted that a quantity of land equal to one thirty-sixth of the Virginia Military Tract should be selected for school purposes from the land lately purchased from the Indians and lying between the Western Reserve and the United States Military District. By an ordinance passed May 20, 1787, Congress provided for the reservation of section 16 for the use of schools, and the policy has since been adhered to. The deeds of these lands in Ohio have been made under the authority of the Legislature by the governor, and the proceeds form part of the irreducible state school fund."
CHAPTER V. EARLY SETTLEMENT IN CLINTON COUNTY. Brown-limbed and mighty were the forest trees That lifted high their giant trunks in air ; Filled with sweet incense was the sighing breeze Which touched, with soft caress, wild flowers fair ; The sunlight glanced among the foliage green, And vainly strove to pierce the gloom beneath; Glad swelled the heart of him who viewed the scene And breathed the fragrance of the flowery heath. So often have descriptions been written of the appearance of this region before the white settler had made it his home that all those who read must be familiar with the phraseology commonly employed. Yet there is not enough variety in the terms which can be used to write in a greatly different manner on the subject. A vast forest wilderness stretched north from the Ohio river, into the depths of which pushed bold pioneers from the states of North and South Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey and others, most of them coming from the Virginians and the Carolinas. The face of the country at the beginning of the settlement in Clinton county bore a vast difference in appearance to that of the present time. The soil was extremely fertile, and upon it grew, in the utmost luxuriance, the many varieties of trees and shrubs common to this latitude. Nearly the entire surface of the county was covered with a massive forest and the tangle of shrubs which grew beneath. Spicewood and the wild pea vine formed a mat through which the feet could push only with difficulty. From the leaves of the spicewood was made a decoction which was used in the place of "store tea" when the latter could not be obtained. Sassafras tea (called "sassafrak" in the vernacular of that day) was also used, and the sap of the sugar maple was a boon which the settlers well appreciated as an almost invaluable article in the economy of their households. Flowers in greatest variety grew and blossomed under the trees, and the rose, the wild lily, the dog wood, the red bud, and a hundred other varieties made a beautiful carpet for the magnificent forest aisles in their season. Splendid as was the appearance of the country in the days when the "first settler" looked upon it, the fact remained that out of the forest depths homes mast be carved. The task promised to be by no means an easy one, but the man who was bold enough to venture far from the older settlements and brave all of the difficulties he must of necessity encounter, was not disheartened with the prospect before him, and began at once the work he had resolved to accomplish. The ringing strokes of his axe echoed in the thick green wood, and the trees lay prostrate where for hundreds of years they had stood in their glory. The rays of the sun streamed into the little clearing; smoke curled upward, from burning logs and brush-heaps; the rude cabin stood outlined against the dark and somber forest wall, and the new home was begun where never before the footsteps of civilization penetrated. The land-office for the district of the Virginia military survey was opened August 1, 1787. Prior to this in the same year this tract had been explored by Maj. John O'Bannon and Arthur Fox, two Kentucky surveyors, who wished to obtain a knowledge (6) 82 - CLINTON COUNTY, OHIO. of the land for the purpose of making entries when the district should be opened up. O'Bannon became a prominent surveyor and did the major percentage of the surveying of this tract. He also entered considerable land himself and O'Bannon creek bears his name. THE FIRST SETTLER. The honor which is due the first settler of this county is a rather disputed subject, as no definite conclusion can be reached as to who really deserves this distinction. A dispute has arisen among those who have made investigations. It is stated by certain parties, and apparently on good authority, that the first settlement was made by William Smalley, who settled within the limits of the present township of Vernon, west of Clarksville, in the year 1797. If this were authentic, we would give him all the praise which is due, but the fact has been conclusively developed that Mr. Smalley's cabin was built about fifty rods west of the line which divides this county from Warren, in the township of Washington, in the said county. His purchase, however, extended over the line into Clinton county. Thus we are still very far from our goal. It seems to be a difficult matter to really place the first actual settler who located within the territory now comprising Clinton county. The evidence seems to point to the fact that three persons came about the same time, and located at widely different points in the county. These were Morgan Van Meter, of Green township; Amos Wilson, of the township which bears his name and David Sewell, of Vernon township. There is trouble in ascertaining the date at which each of these men came to the county, but the latest investigation seems to fix them all in the year 1799. Morgan Van Meter has generally been accorded the honor of being the first arrival, although Squire C. C. Bowers, in writing the history of Green township, fixes the date of Van Meter's arrival at about 1800; however, this is not altogether authentic and was in all probability a year too late. The late Judge Harlan prepared the following sketch of Mr. Van Meter : "Morgan Van Meter was the first settler within the limits of Clinton county as it now exists, having come here in 1798 or 1799. He was also the first tavern keeper within the same limits. His tavern was the first opened on any of the first roads, traces or paths leading from Chillicothe to Cincinnati. 'Van Meter's' was made a conspicuous point in the road guides published in the Pittsburg almanac of seventy years ago, for the information and direction of travelers by land from that town to Cincinnati. General Cass, in a conversation with one of our citizens a few years ago, made inquiries about this early public house, and stated that, having lain out all night in the woods a few miles southwest from Van Meter's, he was glad to find it in the morning in time for a late breakfast. This was in very early days. "Morgan was the first of five sons of Joseph Van Meter. His brothers were Joseph, Isaac, Abraham and William, all of whom, except William, were at one time residents of the state of Ohio, and, we believe, of the old town of Deerfield, on the Little Miami river, in what is now Warren county. The brothers who came to Deerfield were said to have had families. Morgan lived in the lower part of the little town, not far from the river, in one end of a double cabin, or a cabin divided into two rooms, the other room being occupied by the family of the late Judge Michael H. Johnson, a well-known rest. dent of the Hopkinsville neighborhood, Warren county. He (Van Meter) removed directly from Deerfield to the head of the east fork of the Little Miami, near where Snow Hill now is, in Clinton county. The point where he settled is a little east of sou and a distance of about two hundred yards from the present residence of Zephani Spears. Here, it is said, he found an unoccupied Indian wigwam. With the except' of this hut, there was not a human habitation within a radius of ten miles. Here built his cabin and opened it to the public as a tavern. Here Morgantown was afterwa laid out. His father, Joseph Van Meter, was a native of the state of Maryland. CLINTON COUNTY, OHIO - 83 was born upon the frontier, and, though frequently changing his residence, died upon the frontier. He seems to have belonged to that class of men, once quite numerous, who kept constantly on the border of civilization and followed close upon the footsteps of the Indians as they retired further west at the advance of the white man. He had removed from Maryland several years before the Revolutionary War and was living on the south bank of the Potomac river in Virginia, when his son, Morgan, his first child, was born. The family record of Morgan Van Meter's family, furnished by Mrs. James Vail Meter, of Wiota, Lafayette county, Wisconsin, shows the year of Morgan's birth to be 1765. Between the birth of Morgan and of Joseph, his second son, he crossed the Allegheny mountains, descended the Monongahela, and settled at the forks of that river. At this point, Joseph and perhaps others of the family were born. "In 1770, Joseph Van Meter, the elder, in company with three of the Zane brothers, removed with his family to the Ohio river, where the city of Wheeling now is. The Zanes settled at the mouth of Wheeling creek, while Mr. Van Meter settled a few miles above, on Short creek: Other settlements were commenced near by soon afterward. Block houses, being works of prime necessity on the frontier at that day were erected at several places in the settlements, as some protection against the Indians, though seldom adequate when assailed by a strong party. Near to these, the settlers built their cabins, as far as convenient, such a plan being considered as some protection against surprise attacks by small parties of the Indians. In 1774, a small military work was erected, under British authority, on the south bank of the Ohio river, not far above the mouth of Wheeling creek. The plan upon which it was built was said to have been drawn by the celebrated Gen. George Rogers Clark. It was called at first Ft. Fincastle, the name of the county in which it was located, but two years later, 1776, the name was changed to Ft. Henry, from the celebrated Patrick Henry, then governor of the state of Virginia. This was the only fort between Pittsburg and the south of the Great Kanawha, which was at that time considered tenable against a force of any great number. A stockade was in process of construction near West Liberty, on Short creek, in September. 1777, but was not yet complete when the Indians attacked Ft. Henry, late in September of that year. This stockade was intended to serve the double purpose of protecting the lives and property of the settlers and as county buildings, West Liberty at that time being the seat of justice for Ohio county. This rude structure was named Van Meter's fort, from Joseph Van Meter, the elder. Late in September, 1777, notice was given the settlers at and in the neighborhood where Wheeling now stands that a large Indian army was collecting on the Sandusky river to march against Ft. Henry and the settlements in the neighborhood. This friendly warning is said to have been sent by the brother of the Zanes, who had taken up his residence with the Indians, had adopted their dress and mode of living, and had married an Indian woman. The messenger had scarcely brought the direful news to the garrison before the Indians were before the walls of the fort, under the leadership of the renegade white man, Simon Girty. The Indians had gone to and crossed the Ohio unperceived, though a considerable force of the most capable and experienced scouts and Indian fighters on the frontier had been sent out into the woods on the north side of the Ohio, through which the enemy was expected to come. to discover, if possible, the force of the latter, and the time at which they would probably arrive. Girty, however, succeeded in bringing his warriors before the very walls of the fort before his approach was discovered. The force of the Indians was computed at from four to five hundred men. The entire force of the garrison and settlers was forty-two, all told, many of whom were old men and boys. In the course of the first night after the arrival of the Indians, the settlers and their families either took shelter in the fort or were brought in. The next morning, the Indians succeeded in killing one of the men belonging to the garrison. Fourteen men, sent out in pursuit of a small party of Indians, were surrounded, twelve of them were killed and one badly 84 - CLINTON COUNTY, OHIO. wounded. Twelve volunteers from the fort were sent to the relief of the first party, but were surrounded and eight of them killed. Two or three men were severely wounded, but were able to conceal themselves from the Indians, and came in or were brought in after the Indians withdrew. Not a man was killed or wounded inside the fort. On the third day of the siege, forty mounted men from Short creek and fourteen from Cross creek arrived at the fort and were admitted. These timely reinforcements so discouraged the Indians that they raised the siege and engaged in killing the cattle and burning the cabins and fences of the settlers. "Two accounts are given of the part acted by Joseph an Meter and his son, Morgan. One is that Joseph and his family took refuge in the fort without loss of time. The other is that father and son, on the second day of the siege, composed a part of the company of forty, who, on hearing of the dangerous condition of the people and garrison in the fort, left the settlement on Short creek, went to their relief, and were fortunate enough to be able to enter the fort without the loss of a man. Both accounts agree that Joseph and his son, Morgan, were in the fort while it was besieged by the Indians and participated in its defense. At one time during the siege, it is said, the rifles used by the men in the fort became so heated by the rapid fire as to become dangerous and, to some extent, useless, and recourse was then had to a lot of muskets, of which a sufficient number was found in the store house of the garrison. If this account be true—and it is credited in the history of the siege—it clearly shows that, if a party of the garrison was composed of old men and boys, they were at least acquainted with the use of the rifle. "Joseph Van Meter, the elder, continued to reside on Short creek until his death. The manner of his death was never certainly ascertained. He went from home to fish, and never returned, nor was any vestige of him ever found. Some supposed that he had been drowned, while others were of the opinion that he had been taken prisoner by the Indians and burned at the stake. "Morgan Van Meter came to Clinton county as early as 1798 or 1799. It is believed that he was settled at Deerfield, Warren county, with his brothers, Joseph and Isaac, as early as 1796, or at least 1797, having come here from Harrison county, Kentucky. Joseph could not have remained long at Deerfield if he came there in 1797, for in that year there is the most satisfactory evidence that he was located at the mouth of Dodstson's creek, on the south side of the East fork of the Little Miami, a mile or so below Lynchburg, in what is now Highland county. Morgan Van Meter did not leave Deerstfield, as is claimed, for a year or two after his brother did. William Van Meter, a very intelligent gentleman, a distant relative of the Van Meter brothers, who settled, when a boy, on the East fork, near Isaac and Joseph, is of the opinion that Morgan settled near where Snow Hill now is, in 1798. But Mrs. Leggett said he made his settlement in the year which she was married. Her family record, being produced, shows that her marriage occurred in 1799. Mrs. Leggett was a Shawhan, a sister of the late John Shawhan, Esq., long a resident near Deerfield, and of Amos Shawhan, of Morrow, and knew the three Van Meter brothers when she was a young woman and they were residing at Deerfield. Deerfield at that time was simply a cluster of houses. It was not laid off as a town until several years afterward. The houses were of a very rude construction, being designed for temporary shelter more than for permanent abode. On the arrival of any new emigrant, if he found an empty house, he took possession of it. If there was no vacant house, one was put up for him. Deerfield was simply a place to stop and stay until a selection for a permanent settlement could be made. "The farm of Joseph Van Meter was on the southeast side of the East fork of the Little Miami, and is now generally known as the Michael Stroup farm. Mr. Van Meter removed to Illinois many years since, where he died. His brother Isaac settled at an early day in the neighborhood of his brother Joseph, on the northwest side of the East CLINTON COUNTY, OHIO - 85 fork of the Little Miami, about one and a half miles north of where Lynchburg now is, in Clinton county. The farm owned by him was the old homestead of the late Hiram Connell and later owned by Mr. Connell's son, William. Mr. Van Meter sold the farm in 1814, and removed to Illinois. "The College township road, which led from Chillicothe to College township, near where Oxford College has since been established, was, as far as where Clarksburg now is, the road from Chillicothe to Cincinnati. It is believed that it was surveyed and established in 1799, and, being blazed through, soon became a road much used by travelers. This road was not cut out or improved, at least in some parts of it, until 1804—although it was provided for by an act of the Legislature of 1802-03. Horsemen, guided by blazes made on the trees, followed the line of the road, and were thankful for this help. "Morgan Van Meter has now lain in his grave more than eighty years. The son of a frontiersman, he had but little, if any, education. So far as we know, he never held an office or aspired to one, civil or military. The house he lived in has disappeared, and his grave is covered by a stable, or is in the public highway with no stone to mark it. But his name is perhaps more frequently spoken of by our people than that of any citizen of Clinton county who has been dead twenty-five years, with perhaps a few exceptions. "Morgan Van Meter made his will during his last sickness. It bears date of March 28, 1813, and was admitted to record June 21, 1813. "Amos Wilson, from whom Wilson township, Clinton county, was named, was one of three sons of John Wilson, a member of the first constitutional convention of Ohio, who was the son of John Wilson, an Irishman. Amos Wilson and his father before him, and several of his brothers and sisters were born in New Jersey. From that state his father removed with his family to the Redstone country in Pennsylvania, and from there to Washington county, Kentucky. He lived for several years in Washington and Green counties. His next removal was to Mill creek, in Hamilton county, Ohio, near Cincinnati. John Wilson, named for his grandfather, born December 29, 1786, informed the writer, on March 13, 1876, that his grandfather, after he sold his possessions in Kentucky, supposing that he would get his money in silver, took his grandson, then nine years of age, on a separate horse to Lexington, to bring the money home. He, however, was not paid cash, as he expected, but was given a draft on Cincinnati, on which he received his payments when they arrived there. This was in 1795. In 1790, John Wilson, with his family, and his sons and their families, left Kentucky and came to Cincinnati. That year, the party raised a crop on Mill creek. In the spring of that year George and Amos went to Middle run, in what is now Greene county, Ohio, and cleared a few acres of land, on part of which hemp was sown, and on the rest corn was planted. No fence was put up around the little clearing. The corn made a good crop; the deer took part of it, but the squirrels seemed shy of it, as if doubtful of its fitness for food. These young men returned to Mill creek and remained until fall, when each mounted on a horse and returned to their newly-opened farm to secure their crops. One night three Indians came and stole their horses. On discovery of their losses, the Wilsons, each armed with a rifle, started in pursuit. They traced the Indians by a devious and circuitous route, taken evidently to avoid pursuit, to the old site of the famous town of Chillicothe, on the Little Miami, north of where the town of Xenia now is. Here the Indians, three in number and all armed, were found encamped for the night. The pursuing party had, up to this time, supposed that there were only two Indians, with no advantage in numbers on either side ; but here were three to two. The Indians watched their adversaries closely, and were constantly ready for action if a fight should be brought on. The Wilsons were not less vigilant and were ready, but by no means courting a combat. The Indians, after a time, offered them something to eat. This, however, was 86 - CLINTON COUNTY, OHIO. the only friendly act performed by either side. Sleep on neither side was taken. It is believed that neither party even nodded. At last the light of morning came, and the white men mounted their horses and rode rapidly away without molestation. "In the spring of 1797 John Wilson commenced a settlement on Middle run. His improvement was immediately upon the road now leading from Waynesville to the town of Centerville, in Montgomery county, Ohio. His first dwelling, a rude structure, has disappeared, but near its site the house long his residence, still stands. It is situated on the south side of the road, and is in Greene county, though but a short distance from the line dividing the counties of Greene and Warren. "The Wilsons came to Cincinnati in 1796, from Kentucky; 1797, they cropped on Mill creek, near Cincinnati; 1797, George and Amos, sons of John Wilson, raised a small crop of hemp and corn on Middle run, Greene county; 1797, George and John came up from Mill creek to look after their crops, and had their horses stolen by the Indians; 1797, John Wilson, in the fall of the year, moved to Middle run, in Greene county. In 1799, a Baptist church was organized at Middle run. About 1803 Amos Wilson began to preach in the Baptist church. "It is claimed by some that the first permanent settlement in Clinton( county was made by Amos Wilson and James Mills in what is now Wilson township, in 1799. They were brothers-in-law and came to the county together, but it seems to be clearly established that their settlement was not earlier than the fall of 1801, and possibly not until the spring of 1802. Amos Wilson, up to 1801, was living upon a pre-empted right about three miles northwest of where Waynesville now is. This pre-empted right he exchanged with the Rev. Joshua Carmen, well known to many of our citizens, for one hundred acres of land in the eastern quarter of the county. Mr. Carmen was, at that time, living in the state of Kentucky, near Louisville, and had come out into the Miami country on an exploring expedition. Having secured Mr. Wilson's claim, he returned to Kentucky for his family and, in the fall of the same year, brought them out to the Waynesville neighborhood. On his arrival Mr. Wilson vacated the house on the preemption, and Mr. Carmen entered into possession. Whether Mr. Wilson at once came up to settle on the land he had thus acquired, or not until the following spring, has not been ascertained with certainty. "That Timothy Bennett made his settlement as early as March, 1801, is clearly established, and we have the best authority for believing that Morgan Van Meter had made his settlement where Snow Hill now is at least two, and perhaps three, years previous. Mr. Wilson was married four times. His first wife was Anna Mills, to whom he was married on the 22d day of June, 1791. In March, 1807, Mrs. Wilson died, and on September 27, 1807, he married Rachel James, with whom he lived until her death, in May, 1818. On July 12, 1818, he was married to Mary Coulter, who died in 1839. Mr. Wilson was married the last time in 1843, to Elizabeth Dowden, who survived him twenty years." From data since obtained, it is evident that Judge Harlan was misled as to the actual time of the settlement of Mr. Wilson in this county. The latter's son, Amos Wilson, Jr., furnished information, which is confirmed by a record in the old family Bible. to the effect that Amos Wilson, Sr., located in Clinton county in 1790. The circumstances are these: He (Amos Wilson, Sr.) purchased two hundred acres (instead of one hundred) in the northeast corner of W. Taylor's survey, in what is now Wilson township, and, in order to find it, was directed to go to the locality of the Deserted Camp, and follow the survey line due northeast from there until he should cross Anderstson's fork and Anderson's prairie, and reach the ridge land, or white oak land, beyond. He followed these directions, and, supposing he had reached his own land, at once began improving it. After two years' labor at this spot he found that he was upon CLINTON COUNTY, OHIO - 87 what is known as the Hinkson farm, in the R. Eggleston survey, No. 886, and, moving south to the adjoining farm, began anew to improve. A year was spent there, when he was chagrined to learn that again he was on the wrong land, it being in W. Lindsay's survey, No. 732, on what is now known as the Reed farm. Being now discouraged, and having wasted three years in improving land not his own, 'he avowed his determination to return to the older settlements; but Joshua Carmen, from whom he had purchased the land, came along and showed him his own, and, to partially compensate him for his pains and to induce him to stay, donated to him a strip of land containing fifty acres, lying on the west side of the original two hundred acres. At this time, which was in the early spring of 1802, Mr. Carmen was accompanied by Mr. Wilson's brother-in-law, James Mills, who had purchased a farm immediately south of Wilson's, in the same survey. These two men proceeded at once to erect log cabins on their farms, and both structures were raised on the same day. The families occupied them, and on these farms lived Amos Wilson and James Mills until their death. In 1827, Mr. Wilson erected on his place the first brick house in the northeastern part of the county. Of the family of Mr. Wilson, not a representative is left in the county. The Mills farm is still owned by the descendants of the man who made the first improvements upon it in the spring of 1802. "David Sewell, the first settler of Vernon township, is the third man claimed by some, and with perhaps equal evidence, to have been the first settler in Clinton county. Judge Harlan's account of him states that he bought land in the Archibald Campbell survey, No. 2250, early in 1798, and arranged to move upon it, his sons to go at once. One son, Aaron, was married, in April, 1798, in Frederick county, Virginia, and, with his wife, brother John and family, and their father and mother, started west, arriving at due time at Bedle's Station, in Warren county, Ohio. The Judge then states that they could not then find the land' which had been purchased, nor a surveyor who could show it to them. The Judge places their arrival in this county in 1801, or later, giving reasons for, his conclusions, which appear in another place. Cyrus L. Sewell made statements founded on what seems to be conclusive evidence showing that the Sewell families settled here in 1799, and that a division of the land was made in 1801. TOWNSHIP SETTLEMENTS. The settlements of the townships of Clinton county were made in the following order : Clark Township.—The first settler was Thomas Johns, who located three miles southeast of Martinsville, on the east fork of the Little Miami. The date of his arrival is not known, but it must have been as early as 1800, or in the first part of 1801, as Isaac Miller, Joseph McKibben and Gideon McKibben all arrived in the latter year, and Mr. Johns had preceded them. Union Township. Timothy Bennett is credited with being the first to locate a home within the limits of what is now Union township, having settled east of the site of Wilmington in the month of March, 1801. No other family arrived for over two years, or until the fall of 1803, when George Haworth became the second settler in the township. Chester Township.—The first actual settler in this township was Caleb Lucas, originally from New Jersey, and later a resident of Kentucky, who located here in' 1802. Asa Jenkins had arrived in 1799 and George Mann in March, 1801, but, although both men owned land in Chester township, their dwellings were across the line in Greene county. They subsequently moved to Chester. The first brick house in Clinton county was built near Oakland, in Chester township, in 1807 by James Birdsall, and was standing as late as 1890. The bricks in its walls were manufactured on the place, by Mr. Birdsall, and it can readily be imagined the task in that day was not an easy one. Liberty Township.—Stephen Mendenhall, a native of Tennessee, settled on Dutch 88 - CLINTON COUNTY, OHIO. creek in the spring of 1803, and was the first to erect his cabin in what is now Liberty township. Wayne, Richland and Washington Townships.—These three townships were all settled in 1803. John Jackson, a native of Pennsylvania, located in Wayne in the spring of that year. Sometime during the year, Absalom and. Samuel Reed, from Bourbon county, Kentucky, took up their abode in Richland township, while Isaac Wilson, from Virginia, settled on Colonel Carrington's survey, in Washington township, before the close of the year. Jonas Seaman and a man named Armstrong arrived soon after, and in 1805 opened, upon the present site of Cuba, the first house for the public entertainment in the township, and one of the earliest in the county, probably Morgan Van Meter's, in Greene township, being the only one to antedate it, if Armstrong's was not opened first. Adams Township.—The first settler in this portion of the county was Samuel Lee, who came in 1804 and made his home near the present site. of Springfield meeting house. Jefferson Township.—This township was settled considerably later. The first cabin within Its limits was built by Samuel Jackson, about 1812. Mr. Jackson came from Tennessee, and was a noted hunter. It is recorded that, during his life time, he killed two panthers, three hundred and sixty deer and eighty bears. Joseph' Hockett built the first hewed-log house in this township, but it is unfortunate that no date can be given. Marion Township.—The territory which latest received the attention of settlers in Clinton county is included in what is now Marion township. According to the statements of Squire J. W. Rice, who was the township historian, the first settlement was made in 1814, by Jonathan Baldwin, a native on Monongalia county, Virginia, who had located in Guernsey county, Ohio, in 1804, and in Warren county in 1806. He served under General Harrison in the War of 1812. CHAPTER VI. HIGHWAYS AND TRANSPORTATION. EARLY ROADS OF THE COUNTY. The first roads in Clinton county, as in every other county in the Middle West, were the Indian trails. These trails were narrow and well-worn, owing to the fact that the country was densely wooded and the making of new roads in the pioneer times was no easy task. There were also the trails and traces left by the expeditions which passed through this region against the hostile tribes of the Miamis on Mad river. The roads, Which wound promiscuously through the country, were nothing more than neighborhood roads and would go from one house to another with no regularity. Later, when surveys were made and the roads laid out on some definite system and the routes fixed, these pioneers, who had previously found the track running past their door, found that they were some distance from the road. As the county became more fixed and the boundaries determined, the zigzag paths were partially straightened and new building sites were consequently chosen nearer the line of highway. The most prominent localities, which in that day were the taverns, mills, etc., around which clustered a small settlement, were sure to be accommodated by a public road. The first commissioners found on taking up their duties, in 1810, that the greater part of their labors consisted in laying out new roads and definitely establishing the ones which had been previously laid out. The early commissioners' records are filled with petitions, reports and orders on road matters. These early records will give the best history of the laying out of the roads which can possibly be taken. They follow and are partial duplicates of the records: "The road from Wilmington to Lebanon was laid out by Daniel Cushing and Robert Eachus, under the act entitled, 'An act making further appropriation of the three per cent. fund, etc,' passed February 20, 1812." (This record was taken from the first volume of the commissioners' record, page 57.) "The road commencing near Absalom Haworth's house, and running to Daniel Nordyke's, was laid out by John Wright's field, thence to Samuel Cox's mill, on Cowan's creek, thence by Daniel Bailey's and John Routh's farm to Daniel Nordyke's farm." "The road Unthank's mill to Wilmington: Viewers, Thomas Babb, Sr., Stephen Mendenhall ; John Woolman, surveyor;; length of road, from mill to the south end of South street, seven miles and one hundred and eighty poles. Established June 7, 1815." "From Highland county line, near Richard Barnard's, through Centerville, to intersect the Urbana road, two hundred poles south of James Gillespie's tavern. Established October 22, 1817. Viewers, John Wright, Leonard Morris and Joel Matthews; Hiram Madden, surveyor. Distance, seven miles and two hundred and eight poles." "The Kenton Trace—This trace commenced on the bank of the Ohio river, opposite Maysville, and terminated at Urbana, Ohio. It was laid out by Geri. Simon Kenton, and passed through Williamsburg, New Market, Morgantown (by where Job R. Haynes now lives). crossing the prairie near where Thomas Stitt settled and lived, down the edge of the prairie, through the woods, for some distance, crossing the road leading from Wilmington to Washington, east of the bridge over Anderson's fork, where the Per-Muses, father and son, had in former times a pottery on the road, and crossing the route of the present Urbana road at a point near the residence of William H. Polk." C. P. Gallaher, Esq., on July 27, 1877, said that when a boy he traveled this trace from the 90 - CLINTON COUNTY, OHIO. present Reesville to Morgantown, and passed the residence of John S. Frazer, a Quaker school master, from near Lebanon, whose school he had formerly attended. Prairie Road—"The petition for this road was presented to the commissioners on June 3, 1816. Its beginning was at the end of a street near the northeast corner of the town of Wilmington, thence to run the nearest and best way to Gideon Edwards' lane ; thence through the said lane and the nearest and best way to the `lick' above the dwelling house of the elder Mr. Haws; thence on the nearest and best way to the prairie, to strike a line between the lands of Thomas Hinkinson, Esq., and John Coulter, and thence to run with the said line and intersect the Urbana road on the north of Kamoth Hawkins." The fourth mile tree was at the ford between the, 'lick' and the Haws; the eighth mile tree was between Hinkson and Coulter. Total length of the road, nine miles and two hundred and eleven poles. The road was established June 14, 1816. The road from Hillsboro to Waynesville via Cox mill and. Wilmington : "At the meeting of the commissioners, September 3, 1810, present, George McManis and Henry. Babb, a petition was, presented by Walter Armstrong and others for a road leading in the following manner, to wit: At a road that, runs from Hillsboro in a direction to Walter Armstrong's tavern on the College township road, and to continue on to said Armstrong's; from thence to John Cox's mill; thence to the seat of justice of Clinton county; Joseph Doan, William Adams and Daniel Moon, viewers; Peter Burr, Esq , surveyor. Return to be made the first Monday of December, 1810." Road from Van Meter's to Waynesville—"Meeting of county commissioners; present, George McManis, James Birdsall and Henry Rabb. The petition of William Dakin and others for an alteration of the state road, leading from Van Meter's through Waynesville, was read. James Birdsall and Henry Cox bound for the expense on conditions an alteration between Caesar's creek and the town of Oakland is thought improper by Benjamin Farquhar, Robert Eachus and Jacob Hale, who are appointed as viewers of the same. To make report on the third Monday of September, 1810; Joel Wright, surveyor. The viewers report that a certain alteration in said road between the town of Oakland and Czar's creek would be of public utility; the same is hereby established as a public highway, and all that part of the former state road between the two points, as surveyed by Joel Wright, is hereby declared void and useless." "From Preserved Dakin's to the east end of James Dakin's improvements on the Waynesville road, and William Dakin's, to intersect the Bullskin road, at Anderson's fork (now Burlington) : Viewers, Jacob Hale, Benjamin Farquhar and Job Jeffries. Established June 7, 1815. Nathan Linton, surveyor. Length of road, six miles and one hundred and sixty-six poles." "Drake's Path—Van Meter's Trace—June 2, 1818. Present, Joseph Roberts and Samuel Ruble. A petition for a new road was this day presented and read as follows : Beginning at the Clermont county line, at or near where Drake's path crosses the same line, running thence on a northeast course into the Van Meter trace, where a new road has been cut out. From Jonathan Baldwin's to said trace, running near or through said Baldwin's lane; thence to Isaac Burrough's, Warren, for the purpose of meeting a county road, laid out from Lebanon to the Xenia state road. Viewers appointed, Elijah Burge, William Johns and Freeman Smalley. Nathan Linton, surveyor. Place appointed for meeting, the house of David Burrough's, on July 2, 1818. A survey of the above road was returned to the commissioners July 8, 1818." "From the center of. Paris (now Cuba) and running the nearest and best way to the east fork of Todd's fork, at or near David Wright's; thence the nearest and best way to the head of the West fork of Todd's to or near John Starr's; thence to the county line to where the county line crosses the head of Sycamore, to meet the county road from Williamsburg to Wilmington. Established October 7, 1818. William Johns, David Wright and Thomas Johns, viewers. Surveyor, N. Linton."
CLINTON COUNTY, OHIO - 91 "From the Center meeting house, thence through to Richard Fallis's mill, as far as Benjamin Farquhar's lane, by Eli Maden's, Jacob Hale's, Joshua Nickerson's, near John Haden's mill, to intersect the road leading down Todd's fork, near William Harvey's, Viewers, Joseph Roberts, George Richards and William Butler. Nathan Linton, surveyor. Established June 8, 1819. Length of road, six miles and eighty-seven poles." "September 28, 1819, an alteration of road made by William Moore on his land across Lee's creek, for the convenience of his farm. The old road is one hundred and twenty-seven poles, five feet and six inches in a through line. The new route is one hundred and thirty-seven poles. But said Moore agrees to make a road across the swamp of two rods and six feet of a hollow bridge, and cut a ditch through the swamp into the creek. He is given permission to turn the new road as proposed and have the old road vacated. Viewers. John Allen. Esq., Thomas Autrim and Solomon Sharp." "April 11, 1820, a road established beginning at the road from Wilmington to Paris (now Cuba), at John Shield's mill; thence to Joshua Moore's mill, and thence past Lytle's Creek meeting house and crossing the Lebanon state road to Richard Fallis's mill. Length of road, five miles and three hundred and ten poles. Viewers, Robert Eachus, Mahlon Haworth and John Lewis." The Urbana road was probably laid out before Clinton county was organized and the following note probably refers to a re-survey. This was taken from commissioners' record 2, 1, 179: "This road was run by Nathan Linton, surveyor, under the direction of James Gallaher, Thomas Howe and James Sherman, about the last of September or the first of October, 1820, and found that part which runs through Clinton county to be thirteen miles and two hundred and eighteen poles." "State road from Wilmington through Clarksburg to the road through Cincinnati through Montgomery county. Surveyed by Nathan Linton, August 18, 1820, under the direction of Samuel Wilson, state road commissioner; begins at the center stone; total distance, ten miles and one hundred and fifty-seven poles, two poles of which are in Warren county." "From David McMillan's barn by Enoch Wickersham's, by Nathan Scholey's barn on the left side, passing the lane between Samuel Stanton and Nathan Hines and crossing Dutch creek to a stone corner to Nathan Hines and Dr. John Greer ; thence with Greer and Hur Hodgson's line, and passing through Greer's northeast corner to Hur Hodgson's northeast corner, crossing the Xenia road, passing Daniel Bailey's corner; thence through the lane between Daniel Bailey and Thomas Dillon to Amos Hodgson's corner, through Ezekiel Frazer's land, passing his house (and six-mile tree) ; passing Robert Lomax's house, on the south to Richard Lyon's corner, passing the three-mile tree to Adam Rynard's land, thence through his lane, passing the eight-mile tree, Isaac Johnson's well, thence to the Wilmington road five poles east of the five-mile tree. Total distance, eight miles and one hundred and forty-seven poles. Viewers, Joseph Smith, Joseph Doan and William Walker. Established December 3, 1822. Surveyor, Nathan Linton." "From the east end of Martinsville to the College township road, through John Moon's lane; distance, two and one-half miles and eighteen poles. Viewers, Henry Cow-gill, Am Brown and Amos Wright; Robert Grant, surveyor." Snow Hill to Locust Pond—"Begins at Charles Harris', thence with the College township road to the line between Lewis Giblet and said Harris; thence to Centerville (six miles and sixty poles from Snow Hill) ; thence to Locust Pond, four miles and one hundred and forty poles. Whole distance, ten miles and two hundred poles. Viewers. Paul Huls, Joseph Rulan and Samuel Harvey. Hiram Madden, surveyor. Established June 7, 1825." "Road from Wilmington to Dayton, by an act passed at the session of 1835. was laid out by Caleb Lucas, John Shelby and David W. Brown." "From Wilmington to Burlington.. Distance, as shown by surveyor's plat and field 92 - CLINTON COUNTY, OHIO. notes, thirty miles and two hundred and sixty-eight and three-quarter poles. Distance through Clinton county is twelve miles and one hundred and five poles; through Greene county, ten miles and two hundred and eight poles; around Montgomery county, seventeen miles and two hundred and fifteen poles." The College township road, so often mentioned, was established by the Legislature, February 18, 1804, passing from Chillicothe through Lebanon to Oxford. A route was determined on the same day for a road passing from Chillicothe through Hopkinsville and Montgomery to Cincinnati, and the first appropriation made for laying out these roads. They follow the same route, viz., from Chillicothe to a point in Clinton county west of Cuba, and about a mile and a half southeast of Clarksville, where they diverge, the College township road running via Smalley's and Ft. Ancient to Lebanon, and the Montgomery road passing south of it to Miranda's and Hopkinsville, crossing Todd's fork below Smalley's at the Cres farm. In the case of Hallam vs. Adams, James Curtis, a witness, speaks of a trace from the Troxel, passing near where William Flggins lived and going up the Long Arm prairie into the Main prairie, between the Woods pond and Locust pond, and, crossing the prairie there, went on the direction of a cabin called Jackson's cabin on the big ranch. The following is taken from an almanac of 1818: Cincinnati via Lebanon to Chillicothe: Reading, ten miles; Price, eight miles; Lebanon, fourteen miles; Rue's (Little Miami), six miles; Armstrong's, eleven miles; Van Meter's, thirteen miles; Clifton. thirteen miles; Greenfield, nine miles; Davis, five miles; Wiley, seven miles; Roger five miles; Chillicothe, ten miles. TURNPIKES, PLANK ROADS AND EARLY IMPROVEMENTS. By an act of the Legislature, passed March 22, 1837, the Goshen, Wilmington & Columbus Turnpike Company was incorporated, the Clinton county members being John Hadley, Eli Hale, Nathan Linton, Isaiah Morris, David Stratton, Lawrence Fitzhugh and Joseph Reed. The building of this turnpike had been commenced some years earlier and completed from Goshen to Cincinnati. In the spring of 1838 the work as far as Wilmington was under contract. The work was carried on principally by parties living along the route of this road. In 1840 the pike was completed and opened for public use. The cost of this turnpike was estimated at four thousand dollars per mile. The same company which finished this turnpike also graded and bridged the road between Wilmington and Sabina and, in the spring of 1850, sought to convert this into a plank road, but the project was unsuccessful. This was the largest incorporated turnpike company in the county. although there had been earlier ones formed and many were chartered after this time. In 1823 the state Legislature authorized the building of a state road from Wilmington to Cincinnati, and another act of a similar nature was passed in 1835. All corporations had to be granted a charter by the state Legislature and, by referring to the laws of Ohio, the following turnpike companies, with portions of their lines in Clinton county, were incorporated in the years given below: Goshen, Martinsville & Leesburg, 1832; Clarksville, Cuba, Snow Hill, New Lexington & Leesburg, 1838; Wilmington, Jamestown & South Charleston, 1838; Wilmington & London, 1838; Waynesville & Wilmington, 1838; Dayton & Wilmington, 1839; Xenia & Wilmington, February 6, 1846; Circleville and the Port William, New Burlington & Ade1phi, February 25, 1848. In 1844 the Legislature passed an act for the establishment of free turnpikes and this brought about the formation, the following year, of a number of plank road companies. A later act, which applied to plank road companies, is given below. This was passed March 20. 1849, and the extract is from section one of the said act: "That any company heretofore incorporated in this state for the purpose of constructing a turnpike road may construct said road, or any part thereof, by covering the same with plank not CLINTON COUNTY, OHIO - 93 less than two and one-half inches thick, of sufficient width for the accommodation of teams, and in a good and substantial manner, instead of covering the same with gravel : Provided, no company shall take any timber without the consent of the owner or owners thereof." Subsequent acts fully defined the powers and privileges of plank road companies. By reference to the acts of the state of Ohio it is found that the following plank road companies were chartered by the Legislature in the years given below and having members and portions of their lines in Clinton county Goshen, Blanchester & Martinsville, 1844; Leesburg & Blanchester, session of 1850-51; New Lexington & Wilmington, session of 1850-51; Mount Pleasant & Martinsville, session of 1850-51; Blanchester & Wilmington, session of 1850-51; Martinsville, Westboro & Woodville, session of 1850-51; Port William & Wilmington, session of 1850-51. By glancing over this list, it is seen that the 'craze' struck the people in 1850 and evidently the Legislature of that year had their hands full in taking care of the petitioners for plank road charters. None of the above incorporated roads were ever laid out and but one plank road was ever built in the county. So the material improvements which plank roads did Clinton county was wholly on paper and not suitable to travel over. On February 16, 1850, a meeting was held at Harveysburg, Warren county, to make arrangements for the organization of a company to construct a turnpike road from Waynesville to Wilmington, via Harveysburg. This road was to connect with the Little Miami railroad at Harveysburg. The Legislature, in the session of 1838-39 had granted the original charter to this company, but a definite organization had never been made. On April 1, 1850, subscription books were opened at Wilmington, Harveysburg and Waynesville for the sale of stock in this company. The commissioners who had this matter in charge were from the three towns, Nathan Linton, of Clinton county, representing Wilmington. A. Brook was appointed secretary for the corporation. As early as April 2, of that year, a daily line of omnibuses was running over the road, and a short time later a new coach was put on and a daily mail carried. The headquarters of the omnibus line were located at Wilmington at the Buckeye House and E. Flood was appointed the agent for the line. Jacob Strickle. who lived on South street, was the proprietor. The fare from Wilmington to Waynesville was fifty cents. The stockholders of the road met on April 27, 1850, at Harveysburg to elect directors. The name of the company was then changed to the Waynesville & Wilmington Turnpike and Plank Road Company. Late in the fall of 1852 the road was completed as far as Wilmington and, of this distance, about seven miles was planked, two miles between Wilmington and Todd's fork and five miles between Dutch creek and Waynesville. This was the only plank road ever constructed in Clinton county. Some time later the whole route was covered with gravel and converted into an excellent turnpike. Toll was taken over this road as late as the spring of 1881. The last name of the company was the Waynesville & Wilmington Turnpike Company and Cyrus Linton was on the board of directors from 1857 until the company was dissolved. The first free turnpikes, or macadamized roads, as they are now called, did not make their appearance until the middle of the fifties. At its session of 1853-54, the Ohio Legislature enacted a free turnpike or road improvement law. This act provided that, on the petition of three-fourths of all the resident landholders on each side of any state or county road, and within one mile of said road, to the auditor, his duty shall be to assess, In addition to the regular taxes, four mills to the dollar on all lands within a mile of the road, and on all personal property held in said boundaries by both freeholders and personal property holders. Said tax was to be applied to improving said road. The first action taken by the citizens of Clinton county to secure an improvement on the county roads was in May, 1859. George Sanders and J. S. Leaming undertook, under this law, to secure a free pike from Wilmington to the Washington line, about a mile south 96 - CLINTON COUNTY, OHIO. Hamilton county, and the mouth of O'Bannon creek, in Clermont county. This act was amended in March, 1850, and the company was authorized to build its road to any point so as to connect with any railroad or other improvement constructed to the Ohio river on the Virginia side; and a subsequent amendment, in the following year, authorized its completion to Cincinnati, with the privilege of connecting or crossing the Little Miami or any other railroad. The name of the road was changed in March, 1851, and it was known as the Marietta & Cincinnati Railroad. Active work was begun in the spring of 1851, and the line was opened from Harmar to Loveland, Clermont county, a distance of one hundred and seventy-three miles, in 1857. Like many other roads of this early date, the stockholders found that with the completion of the line their resources were exhausted and they had no reserve on which to operate the road; consequently, it was placed in the hands of a receiver, who operated it until February 25, 1860, when, in May, the trustees of the road purchased the stock for the benefit of the stockholders. It continued to be operated by the trustees until August, 1860, when it was transferred by them to the reorganized company, which was known as the Marietta & Cincinnati Railroad Company. The extension from Loveland to Cincinnati, a distance of twenty-four miles, was begun by the newly re-organized company in 1864. and was completed to a point six miles from Cincinnati in February, 1866. From there to Cincinnati this road used the tracks of the Chicago, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad. Later the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company took over this road through a lease and it is operated under that name at present. The Hillsboro & Cincinnati Railroad runs through the southern part of Clinton county and parallels the Baltimore & Ohio, Marietta & Cincinnati line, from Midland to Blanchester, where it makes a junction with that road. It is interesting to note that this was the first railroad built in Clinton county. It was completed from Loveland to Hillsboro in 1852. This road is also operated by the Baltimore & Ohio railroad through a lease. DETROIT, TOLEDO & IRONTON RAILROAD. This railroad runs through Liberty and into Chester township. An agitation for the construction of this line was first begun in December, 1875, when a meeting was held in Port William and the plan of building a narrow-gauge railroad from Waynesville, connecting there with the Miami Valley Railway, to Jeffersonville, and ultimately to Columbus, was presented by J. F. Ely, of Washington Court House. The incorporators, J. F. Ely, Ethan Allen, J. M. Hussey, James Ellis and Doctor Marshall, immediately procured a charter and the proposed road was incorporated as the Waynesville, Port William & Jeffersonville Railroad. After a sufficient amount of stock was raised, an organization was effected in March, 1876. Meetings were held along the intended route and stock raised to the amount of sixty-five thousand dollars. This road extended as far west as the Miami Valley railroad, a short distance below Roxana. Trains were run over this, the main line, for only a short time and then, either because of the condition of the track or the cramped condition of the stockholders, it was abandoned. A short time later a spur or feeder was begun. This branched off at McKay's Station and was to run southwest through Chester township and into Warren county. The grade was made as far west as Harveysburg, but rails were never laid any farther west than through Kingman. Later the rails that were laid west of Kingman, a mile in all, were taken up and the grade west through Harveysburg was abandoned. The old main line, or that part of it from McKay's Station through New Burlington and west, was abandoned and the rails taken up. The right of way was soon fenced in and only a few of the older settlers can ever remember seeing a train on this part of the road. That part from Port William to Kingman was made a standard gauge and is the road as we see it at the present time. This road is now under the charge of the Dayton, Toledo & Ironton Railroad Com- CLINTON COUNTY, OHIO - 97 pany through a lease, but the traffic at present is very light and evidently the owners are awaiting an opportunity to make a junction with some other road. PROPOSED ROADS. There have been quite a number of railroads proposed in Clinton county and some even went so far as to sell a large amount of stock, but, for some unforeseen reason failed to materialize. The Ripley, Wilmington & Dayton Railroad Company was such a venture. The following men, as incorporators, M. M. Murphy and W. D. Young, of Ripley; Dr. L. B. Miles, of Georgetown; J. Fite, of New Hope; L. S. Vance, of Mount Orab, all of Brown county; A. T. Moon, of Highland county; D. Gould, of Martinsville; L. M. Moore, Cyrus Linton and J. W. Denver, of Wilmington; and S. F. Covington, of Cincinnati, chartered this road in the spring of 1878. The capital stock of the company was placed at two hundred thousand dollars and Gen. J. W. Denver, of Wilmington, was chosen as the first president. The road as originally planned was to run from Ripley to Dayton, via Wilmington. In the spring of 1878 the survey was made to Wilmington by Lawrence Woolson, of Cincinnati, but has extended no farther. No work has been done on this road, although the organization existed as late as 1882. The officers of the company in 1882 were as follow : G. F. Early, president; Cyrus Linton, vice-president; E. C. Betts, secretary; Harley F. Walker, treasurer ; Frank Moore, S. Q. Fulton, John Outcalt and Cyrus Linton, of Wilmington; William Turner, John Turner and Henry Walker, of Martinsville; Alva Moon, of Mount Orab ; Judge Louden, of Georgetown, and G. F. Early and Ephraim Flougher, of Ripley, directors. In 1879 this same company was granted a charter to construct a branch from Aberdeen to a point on the main line near Buford, Highland county. The officers of this branch company were Jeff Hildebrant, president, and Cyrus Linton, vice-president. Another proposed railroad which failed to materialize was the Southern Ohio Railway Company. Certain capitalists of the East proposed, in the fall of 1871, to build a railroad that was to extend from the Ohio river at Huntington to Dayton. This road was to connect with the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad at Huntington and give it an outlet over the tracks of that line. Colonel Trimble was the first president of this road and he proposed, on the part of the incorporators, to equip the road and advance the capital for its completion if the people along the line of the said road would raise eight hundred thousand dollars. The first meeting in the interest of this enterprise in Chester township was held at the Methodist Episcopal church In New Burlington on the evening of November 21, 1871. At that meeting Peter Harrison was made temporary president and H. G. Cartwright, secretary. A committee of twelve was appointed to solicit stock and secure a right of way. This committee met at the store of John Grant on the evening of November 23 and organized by electing Samuel Lamar permanent chairman and A. H. Harlan, permanent secretary. Allen Linton presented a set of papers setting forth the conditions on which the people of Chester township would subscribe stock. On the motion of John Grant, these articles were adopted and have been copied verbatim: "We whose names are here unto subscribed do severally agree with and promise to the Southern Ohio Railway to take and pay for the number of shares of the stock of said company set opposite our names, of the value of $50 each, payable in installments on the total sum subscribed by each of us, as may hereinafter be required by the board of directors of said road; provided—first, that the aforementioned road will pass from Hillsboro to Dayton via Wilmington, Clinton county, Ohio, crossing Caesar's creek in said county near the village of New Burlington, Ohio; that enough stock be taken to complete said road in accord; ance with the proposition of C. P. Huntington, president of the Chesapeake & Ohio Rail- (7) 98 - CLINTON COUNTY, OHIO. road Company; and provided further, that the amount subscribed by us be expended on the line between Wilmington and Dayton." The interest at this meeting was great and forty-two shares of stock was subscribed, which amounted to two thousand one hundred dollars. These meetings for the sale of this stock were held every week and the enthusiasin often ran high. The meetings were well attended and thrilling speeches were made. The minutes of the meeting of December 5, 1871, are here copied: "Meeting called to order by secretary—the chairman not present. On motion of John Grant, Allen Binganon was asked to preside Members present: John Grant, Jesse Spray, Jr., Henry Hurley and George Mann. There not: being a quorum present of the committee, the ,evening was spent in speeches. On the motion of John Grant, duly seconded, George Mann and Hurley were •asked to address the committee, which parties agreed to, provided Mr. Grant would make the first one. The latter gentle man, being then called, arose and delivered a very neat little speech, setting forth the many inducements that were calling out the support of the people in this railroad enterprise. He was followed by George Mann, who arose only to excuse himself, and to insist upon Mr. Hurley addressing the committee. Mr. Hurley then addressed the meeting at considerable length, showing plainly the benefits to be derived from public improvements." The last meeting held by the committee was on the evening of December 26, 1871, and the minutes as recorded are as follows: "Committee met at the store of John Grant; Samuel Lamar in the chair. The meeting was called to order, and the minutes of the previous meeting read and adopted. The meeting was largely attended, owing to an appointment made at a former meeting by James Swindler, Esq., to be present and address the committee on the railroad question. The speaker failed to come to time. Not much was done at this meeting, but, by hard work and perseverance, it was .not altogether a failure, and the receipts of the evening were one share." The list of the largest subscribers is given, with the number of shares which. each subscribed: Samuel Lamar, twenty-two shares; G. E. and N. B. Stingley, ten shares; G. E. Stingley, ten shares; John Grant, 'twelve shares; Jesse Spray, twelve shares; Henry Spray, ten shares; William Hurley, nine shares; Solomon Huffman, Sr., ten shares; George Mills, ten shares; Levi D. Shambaugh, nine shares; Jacob S. Peterson, six shares; Jesse E. Jessup, six shares; Abram Peterson, six shares; Jonathan McKay, six shares; Archibald Peterson, six shares; John S. Lamar, five shares; Ebenezer Lucas, five shares; George W. McKay, five shares; Daniel H. McKay, five shares,; M. C. McKay. five shares; John Lamar, five shares. The people of this township subscribed to a total amount of twenty thousand dollars. The road was located, ten per cent. of the stock being paid in, but, from some unknown reason, which has not been ascertained by the historian, the enterprise failed and the money was refunded. So another failure on the part of the citizens of Clinton county to locate a railroad through this section is recorded. MIDLAND RAILROAD. The Journal, in its issue of February 21,1883, set the machinery going in the agitation for the proposed railroad from Columbus to Cincinnati. This project was the work of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company and it was their desire to built this road in order that a direct line from Columbus to Cincinnati might be secured. This would run from Columbus to some point on the Marietta & Cincinnati railroad, probably via Washington Court House and New Vienna, or perhaps from Blanchester to Wilmington. The location depended to a certain extent on the enthusiasm which would be shown by the citizens of the different places and the assistance which they would give the proposed line. In other words; the route was open to the towns which made the best proposition. In the Journal, April 18th issue, the following head line is set in large type, "Left Again. Proposed Road to Miss Wilmington, Owing to Lack of Interest of the Citizens CLINTON COUNTY, OHIO - 99 of this City." Judging by the way things eventually turned out, this was a clever advertising scheme on the part of the promoters, for in this issue it set forth the possibilities which this road would have afforded the citizens of this town, but, through their hick of interest, the golden opportunity had been lost. In the next issue of the Journal a lengthy article was written on the Midland line, the gist of this article being to the effect that it was not entirely too late for the citizens of Wilmington to secure this proposed line if they really wanted it and would show the proper enthusiasm. The issue of May 9, 1883, bore these startling headlines: "$100,000 is the Price which the Midland Railroad will Cost this County." The proposition was set forth as follows: If the citizens of Clinton county would donate one hundred thousand dollars and the right of way, the proposed line would be run through this county. The route of this line would be through Sabina, Wilmington and Cuba. Previous to this, a meeting had been held at the court house and a committee appointed to meet with the stockholders of this road in an effort to come to some terms whereby the road would come through this county. R. E. Doan, John S. Savage. Madison Betts and Cyrus Linton presented the argument to this company for bringing this road through Clinton county. Colonel Yeoman made the speech for the directors. After several hours of deliberation on the part of the stockholders behind closed doors, the verdict, which was set forth in such astounding headlines by the Journal, was given. This money was to be divided between the three towns and townships, as follows: Wilmington and Union township, sixty thousand dollars; Sabina and Richland township, twenty-five thousand dollars; Cuba and Washington township, fifteen thousand dollars. The proposition was accepted and a soliciting committee was appointed at an open meeting held in the court house. From this time until June 6 all the issues of the paper contain articles on the proposed line. In some of the articles the people are being urged to subscribe and pointing out the advantages. In others, the proposition is spoken of as sure to fail and the citizens who do not back the project are blamed. Hot air and the time limit are the chief lines of appeal. The issue of June 6 has this headline: "They will Run Cars on the Midland Railroad." and the list of contributors are printed. Over forty-eight thousand dollars had been subscribed and it was sure of success. In the next issue the entire proposition is rehashed and the last appeal made to the people of the county. It stated that the proposition was not altogether cinched and that at the last minute it might fail from the lack of a few hundred dollars. The issue of June 27 allays all fears and insures the people that the road will come through Wilmington. The following was the contributions by townships: Wilmington and Union township, $66,441.50; Sabina and Richland township, $20,830; Cuba and Washington township, $10,118; total, $97,399.50; deficit, $2,618. This deficit was apportioned among the three townships. as follows: Wilmington and Union township, $1,560; Sabina and Richland township, $650: Cuba and Washington township. $390. The trustees who had been behind this movement went to Columbus to meet the officials of the road and deliver the report. After the report was given, the officials also asked for the right of way, in connection with the one hundred thousand dollars. This necessitated the raising of about six thousand five hundred dollars more,. But this was a small matter and the report that the Midland division of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad would pass through Clinton county was met with great rejoicing. Meetings were held and the people gave vent to their feelings in all parts of the county. The stockholders arrived in Wilmington, October 3, 1883, and made a trip over the. proposed route, viewing the right of way. On October 8-9, 1883. work of grading began. The contractor arrived that day and all the paraphernalia and tools for making the cuts and fills was unloaded. The work was rushed through and it was hoped to have the road completed by July 1, 1884. The total |
