746 - HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
MARION TOWNSHIP.
BY J. W. RICE.
THIS. township was formed by an act of the County Commissioners, August 5, 1830. It occupies the southwestern corner of the county, and is bounded as follows: On the north by Vernon Township, on the east by Washington and Jefferson Townships, on the south by Brown County and on the west by Warren County.
The surface of the township is in most parts what is called undulating, while in some places it is comparatively level. The soil is variable, comprising in its variety the deep, black vegetable mold, the yellow clay land and the sandy soil, all of which are very productive. In some parts of the township, a stratum. of fine gravel underlies the upper soil at a depth of from six to eighteen inches.
The principal streams are Second Creek, running from the northeastern part of the township to the west side near the center; Lick Creek, running west through the southern part of the township and out at the west side, near the southern corner, and Whitacre's Run, which flows from east to west, south of the center. These streams, with their tributaries, form a perfect natural drainage of the land, and also furnish channels by which the water from artificial drainage is carried away. A vast quantity of the land was formerly swampy and too wet for cultivation, but, by the use of the modern system of draining and ditching, these lands have been made the most productive of any in the township.
The first election in the township was held in the woods near the cabin of Tobias Barnett (sometimes called Bernard), on the 4th day of September, 1830, when the following officers were elected: John Mitchell, John Stephens and John Salisbury, Trustees; Hiram Anderson, Clork, and Edward Crosson, Jr., Treasurer. The farm on which this election was held is on the Twin pike, leading from Blanchester to Wilmipgton, about one and a half miles northeast of the former place, and is now owned by Charles Penquite.
At the first election for Justice of the Peace, the following were the electors: Jonathan Baldwin, G. Morrison, Hiram Anderson, Recompense Stansbury, John Salisbury, Nicholas Burns, Thomas Elsey, Jonathan Kirk, William Brown, Irwine Garrison, Benjamin Garrison, James Bryant, William Clark. William Hudson, Salby Hudson, Jeremiah Rowan, John Caddle, Lewis Nebber, Reuben Gillis, John Smith, Azel Lyon, Elisha Whitacre, Edward Crosson, Israel Lidles, Isaac Coons, William Sharrow, John Trump, Benjamin Murphy, James Cochran, David Fisher, Isaac Martin. These old pioneers have, without exception, passed away, and we are enjoying the fruits of their labor. Whether we are as grateful to them as we should be is a question for each heart to answer.
The following is a complete list of the Justices of the Peace of the township, with the dates of their commissions as such and their terms of service:
John Cooper, from November, 1830, to November 13. 1836; Nathan Hoggett, April 16, 1826. 1839, 1842; J Jeremiah Rowan, April 17, 1830 to 1833; David Murphy, 1839 to 1845; John Frazie, July 19, 1847; William H. Baldwin, August 12,1841; Joseph Blancett. April, 183:1, to 1841; Calvin P. Baldwin, July 13, 1837, 1860, 1863; Nathan Bales. September 2, 1831; John T. Carnahan, September 8, 1854 to 1857; William Crossen, July 1, 1860 to 1863; James Jorrells, April 0, 1869; J. B. Newberry, June 26, 1866; A. N. Williams,
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June 26, 1866, April 9, 1869, April 3, 1872, April 9, 1875; Henry Brown, Jul 14, 1853, resigned August 16, 1854; Morris Rilea, April 3, 1872, April 1875, April 6, 1878, April 9, 1881; B. D. Scott, April 6, 1878.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
The settlement of this township began long before its organization and soon after the organization of the county. Squatters may have occupied the land, or some parts of it, previous to the date of the first settlement, but, if such was the case, no record or tradition of them. can be found and no traces of them were found by the first-comers to the territory. No signs of the foot of man ever having been in the township were found by the first settler, except blazed paths or tracks through the forest; of these there were several, probably made by the Government surveyors or by exploring parties.
It is well settled that Jonathan Baldwin was the first to settle within the present limits of the township. He was born at or near Morgantown, Monongalia Co., Va., November 30, 1786, and remained with his father until 1804, when they emigrated to Ohio and settled in Guernsey County. In two years after settlement, he removed to Warren County, near where the village of Morrow now stands, and engaged in working by the month, building flat-boats for William Whitacre, with whom he remained until 1811. In that year, he married Harriet Blancett, of Warren County, and in the same year, he removed to the "Old Sawyer farm," near Springboro, in the same county. In 1812, he enlisted in the army and served during the campaign of that year under Gen. Harrison. He then returned to his home, near Springboro, where he remained until 1814, when he came to Marion Township and settled on a tract of 130 acres on Second Creek, this land being the residue of 400 acres previously purchased of Gen. Lytle by him. This land is now a part of that owned by Jacob Shank. Immediately after his arrival in the township, Mr. Baldwin, with the assistance of his two brothers, Samuel and Benjamin, cut the logs, dressed them and erected the first dwelling in the township. Being men of great physical strength, they accomplished this work in a very short time, and with no other assistance. At the time of his settlement, Mr. Baldwiu's nearest neighbor was four miles from him, with a dense forest all the way between them. After the building of this cabin, the brothers returned to their home, in Warren County, and left Jonathan to prepare it for occupancy, which he did during the Same year. This was in February, 1814, and, by the spring of 1815, he had six acres of land cleared and ready to be planted with corn for that year's use. He died August 28, 1868, in the eighty-second year of his age, having been twice married. His first wife, Margaret, died October 27, 1834, and his second wife, Mary, July 25, 1856. They all, together with his son, Judge William H. Baldwin, now lie in an old family graveyard on the home place.
Judge William H. Baldwin died November 19, 1862, in the fifty-second year of his age. He was a man of some distinction, and filled many offices of honor and trust. He was Township Clerk, Justice of the Peace, Postmaster, General of the county militia, State Senator from his Senatorial District and Judge of the Second Judicial District of Ohio. At the time of his death, he occupied the position of Chairman of the Universalist State Convention of Ohio. All of these offices he filled with marked ability and with honor to himself and credit to his constituents. A short time before his death, he told the writer of this sketch that if he was financially able he would discontinue the practice of law and enter the ministry. In the last few years of his life, he was obliged to keep his seat in the court-room, not being able to rise, even to address the jury. By his death, the people realized what a blow they had
748 - HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
received, and his worth was then appreciated if never before. His loss is deplored and lamented by a large circle of friends and acquaintances.
Another early settler was Reuben Gillis, who was born on Elkhorn, eleven miles north of Lexington. now Scott County, near the residence of Jacob Eulass, Sr., August 8, 1789. His father brought him to Ohio in May, 1799. Their first residence was a small log cabin on the farm of Calvin Ball, Esq., of Warren County. After living there a short time, they moved into a schoolhouse on the lands of Furgus McLean, father of Judge John McLean. They next lived on the farm of Widow Bunnel, on Clear Creek, adjoining and above the father of Judge George Kesling. From this point, he removed to Clinton County, near where Blanchester now is, and continued to reside there until his death, which occurred in 1877. When he came to the Blanchester neighborhood, Jonathan Baldwin, Galvin Morrison, William Liston, Sr., George Crossen, Edward Crossen, grandfather of Edward Crossen, the Widow Katy Cros sen, William Clark, -- Stamberry, Elisha Whitacre, Nicholas Burns and William Caudle were already living in Second Creek. Caudle was the father-in-law of the alleged murderer of Peter Peyton, the old colored man.
The first white child born in the township was Benjamin Baldwin, who was born October 15, 1815. He is still living in reasonably good health, and is able yet to do a good day's work at any kind of manual labor. He owns a well-improved farm of good land near the village of Blanchester. He has six brothers, three sisters and three half-sisters living, all in good health. They are all children of Jonathan Baldwin, who was twice married, having twelve children by his first wife and three by his last. His eldest two children were born near the village of Springboro, in Warren County, and the others in this township, where twelve of them yet survive. They are all freeholders and all live in sight of the place of their birth-indeed, so near are they together that the ringing of a common dinner bell could be heard by them all. Several of them live on the land purchased by their father from Gen. Lytle, who entered it from the Government. It is now within the corporation and a part of the village of Blanchester. At the time of their father's settlement here, their nearest neighbor was Joseph Sever, who lived in Warren County, four miles away. The next neighbor was near Collins' tavern, now called Villars' Chapel, a distance of seven miles. and the next was a family named Leonard, wher the village of Fayetteville now is.
Galvin Morrison emigrated from Pennsylvania to Ohio in 1815, and located in this township on land now owned by William Zimmer. His wife, Catharine Morrison, was the first person interred in the old graveyard, where the first schoolhouse stood.
Elisha Whitacre, of whose nativity we are not apprised, emigrated to Ohio soon after Zimmer, and settled on land now included in the town of Blanchester. He was a sturdy, energetic pioneer, and cleared a large amount of land in his lifetime. He brought his wife and family with him. Recompense Stansbury, from New Jersey, Hiram Anderson, William Liston and Edward Crossen were among the early settlers of the township.
Jeremiah Rowan was an old resident of the township. He was born in York County, Penn., on the 19th of June, 1784. In 1802, at the age of eighteen, he came with his father to Ohio and landed above Cincinnati at the present site of Columbia. He lived for nearly twenty years near the town of Montgomery, Hamilton County, from which place he moved to Marion Township, and for a number of years was Justice of the Peace in that township. John B. Gustin, from Pennsylvania, settled in this township in 1836.
John Cooper, another old pioneer, was born in Bucks County, Penn., in the year 1786, and, early in 1802, he emigrated to Highland County, Ohio.
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In 1803, he was married to Rachel More. and, in 1827, he moved to Marion Township, one and a half miles east of Blanchester, where he remained until his death, in 1832. His wife, Rachel Cooper, survived him, and died in 1876, in the ninety-first year of her age, being at the time of her death the oldest person living in the township. John Cooper was a Justice of the Peace in this township for a number of years, and was familiarly known as Squire Cooper.
William Crossen, who was born June 9, 1800, emigrated from Westmoreland County, Penn., to Ohio in the year 1806, and landed at Columbia, Hamilton Co., Ohio; he remained in Hamilton and Warren Counties a few years, and then finally settled in Marion Township nearly sixty years ago. He is still living and a resident of this township.
Mrs. Henry Shank, widow of Henry Shank, deceased, emigrated to this township from Fauquier County, Va., over fifty years ago. She is now in the eighty-ninth year of her age, and is the oldest woman living in the township.
Dr. Wilfred Cusick was the pioneer physician of the township; he settled here early in the spring of 1840, and secured an extensive practice, to which he devoted his energies until the fall of 1862, when he died.
Hartwell Gilliam, though not a pioneer of the township, merits mention as being one of the oldest men therein; he was born in Susses County, Va., on Independence Day (July 4), 1788. In 1813, he enlisted in the war, and served until peace was declared. He came to Ohio on Christmas Day, 1831, and a few years later entered Marion Township. He is still hale and hearty and occupies himself with the work of the farm.
Another old citizen is Reuben Murphy, who was born at Bedell's Station, Warren Co., Ohio, March 1, 1802; he came to Clinton County in 1838, and to Marion Township in 1860; he is strong and very robust for his years and accomplishes tasks that would be difficult for a much younger person.
Gertrude Newell was born in New Jersey November 12, 1800, and moved to Warren County when forty-one or forty-two years of age. She came to Marion Township a few years previous to 1860.
The early settlers were very much annoyed with wolves, and it required constant vigilance to protect their young stock, especially sheep, from the ravages of these beasts, great numbers of which infested the forest at an early day. Notwithstanding their vigilance, these troublesome pests would often play sad havoc with the flocks and herds of settlers, especially of those isolated from the more thickly settled region. Bears were also to be seen in the forests, and these, too, made frequent raids on the farmyard, but they were much less to be feared than other smaller and more numerous animals that then abounded. Game, such as deer, wild turkeys, raccoons and squirrels, was very plentiful and furnished the settlers with fresh meat at all seasons, and with sport for their few leisure hours. The squirrels and "coons" were very destructive to the corn crops, often destroying several rows next to the woods in a single night. To save the crops from these animals, parties were formed to scour the woods around the settlements and a premium was awarded to the hunter bringing in the most scalps at the end of a given time. The number sometimes killed by one of these parties seems fabulous to us now.
SCHOOLS.
The first schoolhouse built in the township was a log house erected on a half-acre of land donated for that purpose by Hiram Anderson. This land was part of the original 400 acres previously purchased by Baldwin. The first school taught in the house was by James Cochran, an ex-soldier of the Revolutionary war. The lot on which this house stood was afterward used as a bury-
750 - HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
ing-ground, and is now about full of graves. The remains of many of the old settlers have here found a last resting-place, after long lives of hardship and toil. The cemetery is adjoining the Odd Fellows' Cemetery on the north. This last has been a popular place of burial for the past ten years.
The next school taught in the township was by Benjamin Baldwin, another Revolutionary soldier, and the father of Jonathan Baldwin. The School was kept in a log house on the south bank of Second Creek, about twenty or thirty rods east of where the iron bridge now crosses the creek. The ground is part of an outlot now owned by Samuel Baldwin and a part of Baldwin's original purchase, but now within the corporation limits of Blanchester Village.
The next schoolhouse in the township was built on the farm of William Crossen, now owned by Rebecca Saxton and Mary Baldwin, sisters, and daughters of Jonathan Baldwin.
The Schoolhouses of that day were all well supplied with fire-places requiring wood from four to six feet long, stoves being then but little known or used. The seats consisted of slabs from the saw-mill, if they could be procured, but if not to be had there, they were cut out of timber of sufficient size. They were from three to four inches thick, six to eight inches wide and from eight to twelve feet long, and hewed on the upper side. The seats were placed fifteen or twenty inches from the floor, thus preventing the smaller children's feet from touching the floor. The school was usually in Session all day, neither the teachers nor parents thinking how they were punishing their children by giving them such long hours of study. The children never complained, being buoyed by the thought that they would soon grow so their feet could touch the floor, but this era in their lives was soon followed by being taken from school and put to work on the farm.
The writing-desks in the schoolhouses were made by fastening wide planks, with strips along their lower edges, to the wall, with supports braced under them, against the wall. The strips served to keep the copy-book and inkstand from slipping off. On these desks the scholars would strive to imitate the copies set for them by the teacher, who would take each copy-book in the morning and write the lesson to be practiced along the top.
These schools were all operated and maintained by subscription, each settler subscribing so many scholars at from $1.25 to $1.50 per scholar for a quarter of sixty-five days. Twenty scholars at the above rate were considered a good school, and with these the teacher would open his school and begin teaching the few branches then thought necessary. In beginning the school, the would-be teacher drew up articles of agreement, which he presented to each settler for his subscription. Some would pay in money and some in produce, but many paid in wood, as this could be cut near the schoolhouse with no other expense than the labor of cutting, which was in many cases performed by the scholar. The teacher boarded around among the families of his supporters, dividing his time among them; but often one, two or three families would take it upon themselves to board him all the time, and in this event he changed his boarding-house but a few times during the quarter. When a scholar had advanced to the single rule of three, with a slight knowledge of Peter Parley's Geography, he was considered as having a sufficient education, and would he taken from school and put to work in the clearing, unless he desired to qualify himself for a teacher. The girls were usually not as far advanced as the boys, as it was deemed more necessary to educate them in the kitchen and household duties, and as it was thought, too, that they did not possess the faculty for learning that the boys did.
There are now in the township five subdistricts, each district containing a comfortable school building. Four of these are brick and one is
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frame. The town of Blanchester constitutes a special school district, in which five teachers are employed, one in each department. The enumeration of children of a school age in Blanchester District is 333; in the five subdistricts, 290; total number of children of school age in the township, 623. In the township there are ten teachers regularly employed. It is a heavy tax on the property holders to hire so many teachers, yet they consider the money as being well spent when properly used by those in authority. The success of our country lies in the fact that no money is begrudged by our liberal-hearted tax-payers, when it is used for the cultivation of the minds of the growing youth. The schools in this township are in a flourishing condition, well attended and usually well taught. No youth in the township can in future years lay his want of education to the lack of educational advantages.
CHURCHES.
The first church built in the township was a brick building erected by the members of the Methodist Episcopal society on Lick Run. The ground on which the church was built was purchased by the society of John Salisbury in 1842. This denomination as an organization has become extinct in the township, outside of Blanchester, and the old brick church has been torn down, but the ground where it stood is still owned by the Methodist society. Several bodies were interred in the lot around the church, but as it is now in an open field, the graves are left uncared for, the friends and relatives of those buried there having died or removed to other States.
The next church was a frame building, built in 1845, by the Free-Will Baptists. It was on a lot in Blanchester, purchased of Christopher Lazenby. The first Trustees of the church were Levi Sever, Bonham Fox and Edward Crosson. The society now numbers about one hundred members. It is out of debt and in a flourishing condition.
The United Brethren Church was built in 1849. It is a one-story frame building, two miles northeast of Blanchester on the Wilmington Turnpike. The first Trustees were John Stevens, John Shields and James Cleland. The society is out of debt and now numbers ninety members.
The Universalist Church of Blanchester was built in 1852. It is a brick building, two stories high. The basement contains four rooms, formerly used for school, but now three are used by the Village Council for Council Chamber, engine-house and Mayor's office and one for an agricultural implement wareroom. The second story comprises the church auditorium. The first Trustees were William H. Baldwin, William McFerren, John T. Carnahan, Hudson Sever and Absalom C. Newkirk. The society is in a flourishing and prosperous condition, now numbering 134 members. They are out of debt and have a constant income from the rent of their rooms, which goes toward the support of the church.
The Roman Catholic Church of Blanchester was built in 1878. It is a neatly constructed brick edifice, one story high, and of sufficient size to accommodate the membership, which is not large.
The Methodist Episcopal Church of Blanchester was built in 1880. It is a neat brick building, well finished inside and out. The first Trustees were D. H. Moon, John Johnson, P. A. Snyder, Owen West and E. M. Mulford. The society is in a good financial condition and now numbers about one hundred members.
LODGES AND SOCIETIES.
Blanchester Lodge, No. 191, F. & A. M., was chartered by the State Grand Lodge, in session at Cincinnati, October 15, 1850. The lodge first met in Samuel Baldwin's old frame hall, which they occupied until the fall of 1864,
752 - HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
when they leased the hall, now known as the Ross Hall, of R. Goodwin. Here they remained until 1871, when they moved to their own hall, in Trickey's Block, on Broadway street, near the railroad. The lodge is in a prosperous condition, with a good hall nicely furnished and about forty members.
Fithian Lodge, No. 37.3, I. O. O. F., was organized under a charter from the Grand Lodge of Ohio in June, 1866. There are now nearly sixty members in good standing in the lodge. This lodge has acted the part of the Good Samaritan since its organization by financially and otherwise aiding brothers, or the families of brothers, when in distress.
A building and loan association was organized in Blanchester in July, 1871, with a capital of $100,000. The association settled with and paid all the stockholders in May, 1880. The association proves a real benefit to the stockholders and the village by keeping a large amount of money in profitable circulation, and by placing within the reach of builders capital with which to carry on their designs. So well were the stockholders pleased with the result of their venture that a similar enterprise with the same amount of capital was organized in 1881. The stock of this association now sells readily at $5 premium.
CONCLUSION.
The township of Marion has made rapid progress in improvements within the last few years. Over fifty miles of free turnpike have been built, at a cost of over $50,000. Large amounts of drainage tile have been laid, whereby lands heretofore almost useless have been converted into productive and valuable fields. Two railroads have been built through the township, and a perfect network of mud or summer roads have been made, by which any part of the township is easily accessible. Much of the finest timber of the township is being felled and manufactured into lumber, building materials and other useful articles. This township was originally well stocked with trees of great variety, among them being the oak, elm, sugar, beech, hickory, sycamore, walnut, butternut, ash, haw, and, in the lowlands, maple, while along the streams a lower growth of sycamore, willow and .prickly ash abounded. These trees grew at times to great height, such being the case with the sycamore, oak and elm in particular. The land once covered by these giants of the forest and enriched by their decayed branches and leaves, has since been, by the hand of man, converted into waving fields, productive orchards and verdant meadows.
There is now in the township, outside of the village of Blanchester, realty, to the value of $324,514, and chattels to the value of $129,888; realty in Blanchester, $109,412; chattels in Blanchester, $94,324; special school dis tricts, outside of corporation, in realty, $59,443; special school districts in chattels, $1,738; total valuation of property in the township, including special school districts, $734,962. Population of township in 1880, 1,957; number of acres of land in the township, 15,819. The largest vote ever polled in the township was on October 12, 1880, when the poll amounted to 500 votes.
BLANCHESTER.
This village was laid out by Joseph and John Blancett, and the plat recorded March 23, 1832. There were originally twenty-four lots, four poles by eight poles square, and one lot (No. 15) not quite so large. The lots were numbered consecutively from 1 to 24, lying on each side of two streets-Broadway running northwest and southeast, and Main street, running northeast and southwest. The courses of the lots were north 45 1/2 degrees east by south, 44 1/2 degrees east.
The following additions have since been made: John Baldwin's Addition, December 15, 1832; same, another addition, July 9, 1834. July 13, 1835,
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a resurvey of the original plat was made at the instance of the original proprietors, John and Joseph Blancett. Christopher Lazenby made an addition September 3, 1851, containing the present railroad depot ground, Railroad street, Depot street, Lazenby street, Walnut street, Mill street, Church street, Fancy street, Pearl street, Bourbon Street and several alleys. C. Lazenby made an addition of outlots September 19, 1851. Wilfred Cusick's Addition, containing Center street, was platted October 8, 1851. William H. Baldwin's Addition, containing Grove and Wright streets, was made November 16, 1855. March 6, 1865, the necessary proceedings were had and the town duly incorporated by the County Commissioners under the laws of the State. August 9, 1873, the corporation was extended to include contiguous territory, on a petition signed by property owners within the territory to be annexed, and recommended by the authorities of the town. Anshutz & Patterson's Addition, including the school lot and Clark, High and. Columbus streets, was platted February 2, 1874. J. K. Trickey's Addition, with Central avenue and South Broadway street, was platted November 16, 1876. The County Commissioners, in behalf of the heirs of Jonathan Baldwin, deceased, made an addition to the town, containing Baldwin and Blancett streets, October 16, 1877.
The town is situated in the southwestern corner of Marion Township, at the junction of the Marietta &Cincinnati Railroad with the Hillsboro Branch of the same road. Wilson's Run and Second Creek surround the town on three sides and connect at the eastern edge of the corporation.
The first merchant of the town was Joseph Blancett, who occupied a hewed-log house on the present site of John Simonton & Son's harness shop. He kept a general line of groceries, notions and such other articles as would be found in a country store of that day. He was followed by Isaac Frazier and William H. Baldwin. The former occupied a room built of logs that stood on the site of Moon & Strawn's drug store; the latter had a Stand at a point now outside of the corporation, north of town, on land now owned by George Snyder. William Bundy was the first blacksmith; he had a log shop on the lot now owned by. James Gustin. Bryant Tricksy, the first wagon maker, had a log shop on the lot now occupied by John Simonton's livery stable. On the 24th of March, 1870, S. R. Nickerson began the publication of the Blanchester Herald, and continued eighteen months, when he sold to James S. Turk, who, in a short time, changed the name of the paper to the Marion Independent, the publication of which ceased about the 1st of October, 1872.
The following is a partial list of the various kinds of business now carried on in the town: Four agricultural warerooms, three blacksmith shops, two wagon and carriage maker's shops, six house and sign painters' shops, two chair factories, four boot and shoe shops, seven dry goods and grocery stores, three livery Stables, two grist-mills, two saw-mills, three hotels, several millwright and mill furniture shops, three carpenter shops, two lumber yards, one furniture store, three butcher shops, three real estate agents, three Notaries Public, three drug stores, three grain warehouses, two bakeries, three confectionery stores, one bank, three millinery stores, a hame factory, where harass are made by the thousand ready for the collar, three hardware stores, one tin shop, three brick yards, five physicians, two dentists, one publishing house, one silversmith, two undertakers, two carpet weavers and a score of carpenters, brick masons and stone workers.