NEAVE TOWNSHIP.
This township was organized on the 5th of December, 1821, and at that date contained eight sections, in what is now Van Buren Township, making it eight miles east and west and four miles north and south. All of Neave Township lying in Range 3 was taken, in June. 1838. to form the township above named, and so the present dimensions were reached.
The pioneer settler in the lands now constituting Neave Township was Andrew Noftsinger. who, came to Darke County in 1810. Sometime about 1817, he built a grist-mill on mud Creek, below the outlet of the lake, where later stood the mill of Dr. Otwell. In the order of construction, this was the third mill built in the county. At the old post, known as Fort Jefferson, James Hayes was one of the earliest settlers. John Ryerson moved in in 1816, and during the two years following, settlement was made in the township by Moses Arnold, George W. Hight. William Townsend. Hezekiah Veitz. John Puterbaugh and Christian Schlechty.
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Dennis Hart, of Connecticut, located on Bridge Creek, in the fall of 1819. On the lands of George, W Wright, near the farm now owned by A. H. Vandyke. During the year 1820, the neighbors built a log schoolhouse, on the Greenville and Eaton road. east of the present residence of A. H. Vandyke. on the land then owned by Joseph Townsend. In this house. Mr. Hart taught during the winter of 1820-21. Mr. Hart died at the ripe age of eighty-four years. He was known as an honorable and worthy townsman.
Peter Weaver came from Butler County, Ohio, to this township in 1819 : here purchased land, cleared him a farm, and year after year has found him living upon it, till 1880. He built the first house in Weaver's Station. named after him, and since grown into a thriving little town. On his first arrival, he found here a blockhouse, situated about one-fourth of a mile north of where Mount Zion Church now stands. This rude pioneer fort was built by Mr. Noftsinger, of whom we have spoken. It is claimed by some that this same man built the first cabin in the county. It was located on Mud Creek, about one-half a mile south of Mr. Weaver's cabin, as early as 1816. Its structure was unique and commensurate with the ability of the builders. It consisted of forks set in the ground. upon which poles were placed, and covered with clapboards.
In 1819, John Puterbaugh built a mill, whose motive power was found in oxen. It stood about two and a half miles southeast of Mr. Weaver's land. This improvement dispensed with water-power, and motion was communicated to the buhrs by cog-wheel connection with an. upright shaft, which was turned by attaching oxen to transverse levers, passing through it. When the inflow of settlers and the organization of the county into townships set in operation a system by means of which public improvements could be made, numerous roads were laid, and took up'a sinuous course around obstructions, and in close proximity to settlers' doors. Sparse settlements caused the formation of districts extensive in area and meager in population.
Mr. Weaver went six miles to the first bridge that was erected across the mouth of Mud Creek, to work out his road tax. As an illustration of the manner of procedure, it is said that settlers were accustomed to work during the winter clearing a patch of ground. This was planted to corn in the spring, and in the fall it was sows to wheat or other winter grain.
When the settler wanted groceries, he went into the woods and cut a load of hoop-poles, and took them for sale to Martinsburg. Coonskins and hoop-poles were Darke County currency in those days. All the cabins, single and double, were built of logs, with puncheon-logs split and hewed on one side for floors ; greased paper took the place of glass, and wood latch and string were the pioneer's substitute for door-knob and bell. At this time there were only two cabins between what is now Louisburg and Matchett's Corner, and only one little cabin between Weaver's and Fort Jefferson. Deer, turkeys, bear and other animals abounded, and furnished meat supply to the table. Mr. Weaver himself killed about one hundred deer, two bears, and very many turkeys. As is the case with all old sportsmen, Mr. Weaver enjoys a relation of early experiences. and tells the following concerning a bear-hunt in which he was engaged.
It so happened that he had loaned his gun to some boys of the neighborhood, to kill squirrels, and after hunting nearly till night the dogs struck the trail of a bear, which they followed rapidly, and soon drove the animal to seek refuge in a tree.
It was near where Mr. Weaver chanced to be, and, hearing an outcry. he went to the spot and found several of the settlers already standing around the tree, endeavoring to get a good position for an effective shot. Weaver took his gun from one of the number, and soon after delivered his fire at the bear. But the load did not even cause the animal to change position. A neighbor then fired, and struck a leg, upon which the bear scrambled down, and set off up the banks of the creek. followed pell-mell in hot pursuit by all the men and dogs. One only
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remained behind of the men. Weaver stopped to put a heavy charge in his gun, and had just completed the act and was about to set forward when down the creek he saw men, dogs and bear coming back with as great celerity as they had departed, only the conditions were reversed, and instead of many for the one, it was one for the many. Weaver waited till the bear was within ten feet of him, when he fired with fatal effect.
George Noggle and T. C. Neave, William and Simeon Chapman and Adam Belles were all of that class known as early settlers in this township. It is said that, when this township was organized, a game of cards was played by H. D. Williams and John Douglass on the one side, against Easton Morris and T. C. Neave on the other, to determine who should have the honor of giving to it a name. The first party won, and they two playing again- between -themselves, the game was— won by Williams, but Neave was so anxious to name the township, that he paid Williams $10 for the privilege, and then named it after himself. Fort Jefferson, built by the soldiers of St. Clair, in 1791, was the first structure erected by white people in the county. There is much of real interest connected with this old post which should be gleaned and placed on record.
The schoolhouses of this township are all of brick, well built, comfortable. and supplied with the apparatus needed to advance school work.
There are a number of churches in the township, among which are a Methodist and a Union Church at Fort Jefferson, a United Brethren near Weaver's Station, and a church at Sampson. The village of Fort Jefferson was laid out in 1818, and Sampson in 1816. There are about fifty miles of road, much of which is piked. The population in 1870, of Neave Township, was 1,093.