HISTORY OF DARKE COUNTY - 385
PATTERSON TOWNSHIP.
To the northeast and in close proximity to the site of old Fort Loramie, and bounded north and east by parts of Mercer, Auglaize and Shelby, 6 situated Patterson Township, a part of Darke County devoted with good results to the interests of agriculture.
Its history is a record of individual exertion. Orchards and groves have been made to alternate with fields of corn and wheat. Much of the olden time yet remains in the fields of woodland. tracts of the original forest, and the work of reconstruction still proceeds. Annually, the area of woodland is diminished ; the timber, however, is no more gathered in windrows, and the settlers are no longer called to log-rollings. A chopper or two, felling the trees carefully, cords the wood for the home fire or the city market, but the smaller branches feed the element that once consumed the finest and most valuable of timber. Much of the lands of Patterson are the depository of the golden seed, whence the landscape is clothed in summer green, and granaries later filled with corn and wheat.
It is strictly an agricultural section, although its citizens were not inferior in soldierly ability during .the momentous years of the civil war. Its territory earlier formed the northern portion of Wayne Township, and, while so constituted, the first settlement was made in 1827 by Isaac Finkbone, and upon the adjacent section a man named Philip Pitzenberger erected a cabin, and, clearing a few acres, lived for a time upon the land as a squatter. The location of these two pioneer clearings was Sections 32 and 33.
The township was formed in 1841, and its original boundary is described as commencing at the east line of the county, at the southeast corner of Section 33, Township 11 north. Range 4 east ; thence west to the southwest corner of Section 35. Township 12 north. Range 3 east (the east line of York Township) ; thence north to the county line ; thence following the county line to the northeast corner of the county ; thence south to the place of beginning."
A portion of the township was taken in 1848, to complete the area of Mercer County, and the county line ceased to be identical with that of the Greenville treaty.
Patterson was still farther limited in territory during the same year, by a transfer to Wabash Township of Sections 2, 11, 14 and 23, of Township 12 north, Range 3 east.
The population in 1850 was 319, and this had increased twenty years later to 978. Soon after the formation of the township, a schoolhouse was erected of the old log pattern on Section 32, and a man named A. L. Wilson was engaged as the first schoolmaster. Judgment may be passed upon the interest attached to education by the knowledge of the fact that of the 319 inhabitants of 1850, there were but a score of persons over twenty years of age who could neither read nor write. Nine years subsequent to its formation, Patterson's real estate was valued at $49,865. There were 57 improved farms, upon which there were 1,624 acres of improved lands and 4,028 of unimproved. The cash value of the farms was $48.470 ; of farming implements, $2,274 ; and of stock, $7,883. Upon the farms were 127 horses, 136 cows, 10 yoke of oxen, 331 sheep, and 672 swine. There had been raised, in 1849, 4,305 bushels of wheat, some rye, 5,225 bushels of corn, and 1.292 bushels of oats. The pasturage and the industry are shown by the statement of 7.010 pounds of butter made. Such is a passing glimpse at a township whose present status establishes a continued and permanent progress from 1840, when there were scarcely a dozen inhabitants in the region at a time, not even midway to the present. Its future is assured, since in the wealth of the soil is found the basis of all real and substantial strength, whose perpetuity is secured by intellectual culture and physical exercise.
386 -HISTORY OF DARKE COUNTY
Turn we to note in brief a few facts pertaining to the initiator and concurrent events. with a further glance at consequent social progress.
The administration of justice in minor courts was a feature of the early day. A suit was brought in Patterson by Isaac Finkbone against Reason R. Millet upon a book account kept by the latter for the former. In the book all the leaves containing credits. in favor of Finkbone had disappeared. James Patterson acted as Constable. The case was tried before William J. English, the first .Justice of the Peace in the township. and interest attaches from the circumstance that this was the first resort to legal tribunal for redress of grievances in the neighborhood. The defense employed James Brandon as counsel. who won the ease on good legal ground, though his client was morally in error.
The Millers became obnoxious to the community and it is said that their habitation was destroyed, and they themselves finally disappeared from this vicinity.
The advantage of a country store to a rural community and the chance of a livelihood by carrying on business in such a place was first understood by Joseph Vanky, who opened a grocery in Woodland a short time after it was laid out. Through the efforts of Dr. S. A. Greer, one of the oldest and most influential residents, a post office was established at this same place some time before the civil war. It was kept in his house, which stands a half-mile south of Woodland. It was removed to the Childers' farmhouse, Mr. Childers being appointed Postmaster, and a year and a half later was brought back to Dr. Greer's. and Abner Clark became Postmaster. The office was temporarily discontinued until the spring of 1879, when Willow Dell Office was created and located at Woodland. with John C. Schilling, Postmaster.
Among the first township officers may be named Dr. Greer. Richard Mendenhall, John Puterbaugh, Samuel Day, James Davidson. James Patterson, Anthony Coble. John Deweere and Robert Brandon. Of those oldest settlers who have died may be mentioned John Day. J. P. Puterbaugh, Davidson, S. Day and R. Mendenhall. William Russel came to Piqua from North Carolina, and moved into Patterson Townsiph in 1834 or 1835. and settled on forty acres of Section 28. He had a son Joseph. now deceased. and the place is now owned by John Piquenot. Thomas Mendenhall moved in from Miami County in 1835 or 1836, and located near the northwest corner of the township. Arphaxed Julian, of Shelby County. settled in the west part of the township James Patterson, Sr., father of him who gave his name to the section. came to Ohio in 1817 from Westmoreland County, Penn., made a brief stay at Lebanon. Warren County, then came to Union, and a year later entered 160 acres south of Webster, on the Stillwater. His wife died in 1826. and. selling his land, he went back to Warren County, and thence returned to what is now known as Patterson Township, where he entered eighty acres southeast of Woodland. in Section 28. Town 11, Range 4 east, being the east half of the northeast quarter. He died on this farm in 1855, at the age of fifty-six years. His first marriage was to Polly McIntyre, his second to Catharine Rudy. There were fourteen children in the two families. A son, James Patterson. is owner of 280 acres in Sections 22 and 28, adjoining the Shelby County line, is a leading citizen, and has been Justice of the Peace for a number of years.
The land in Patterson was entered principally in small tracts of forty and eighty acres, but there have been among the settlers large landholders. John Deweere has 600 acres after having disposed of as much in farms to his children. Nicholas Flinney has about 500 ; J. Patterson. having sold 120, has 280 acres ; Peter Shields has 480 ; Hamilton Coble has 180 ; Anthony Coble has disposed of about 600 acres, and has 200 left ; Henry Starke has 400 acres. Seven hundred and fourteen acres was entered by one party, and John Wood, of Chillicothe. entered an entire section.
The southern part of Patterson is rolling, and much of the soil is light clay. The timber is beech, sugar maple and oak. The northern part is a darker and
HISTORY OF DARKE COUNTY - 387
stronger soil, bearing more of lime. sycamore and walnut. There is moist, cold land in the north, which is rapidly being improved by drainage. The hamlet of Woodland is on the watershed, the slope being southward toward the Stillwater, and northward into Mercer County. The village school is a short way south of the place. and J. B. Martin. the present teacher, has an average attendance of about thirty pupils. There are seven school districts, having six frame houses and one of Frick.
No railroads traverse the township. It contains three churches. The Lutheran. in Woodland, built in 1865, with a parsonage. The first residence for the minister was a log house, erected in 1868, the present is a frame. The first preacher was Rev. Shaffer, followed by Rev. Framer, Rev. Suter, and he by the present pastor. Rev. Leiderman. A Sabbath school, held during the summer, is largely attended. The Pine Church (Christian), is located two and a half miles north of Woodland, on the Berlin pike, in the Coble settlement. The house was erected in 1863. Rev. Richard Brandon was the first minister, succeeded by Abner Long. and he by Rev. Butts. Preaching is held once a month. The membership has been as high as forty. The Christians are now engaged in building a church in the Speelman settlement, on the northeast quarter of Section 25, Range 3. A congregation and Sabbath school are established in that neighborhood. Meetings are held at the house of John Blotner, and in the schoolhouse on the farm of A. Mendenhall. part of the southwest quarter of Section 24. Services and Sabbath school are largely attended. The people of Pleasant Ridge and vicinity, belonging to the United Brethren, have Sabbath school in the house on the northeast corner of the farm of John Long. Church services are held once in three weeks. About thirty pupils attend the school, of which Joseph Wolf is the Superintendent. The Christian denomination held religious services at Grange Hall (formerly a schoolhouse), and their Sabbath school is superintended by W. W. Richardson.
The Patrons of Husbandry have an organization in this township, established in 1876, with a membership of about forty. Mr. Richardson, above named, was the first Master.
The present Township Trustees are William Hawk, David Speelman and J. M. Simon. The Township Clerk is F. P. Hawk. Merchandise is sold by J. C. Shilling and F. P. Hawk, in a building erected for the purpose, some twelve years ago, by G. B. Litman, the first storekeeper therein and the present owner of the premises. About eighteen years ago, a blacksmith, named Henry Howshilt, located in the township and still pursues his useful and laborious calling.
During the war for the Union, the people of Patterson were prompt and patriotic. their quota was speedily raised and the draft, obnoxious and dreaded, had little influence with them. Although late of settlement and remote from towns, the present of Patterson is not without much of interest, and the time approaches when it will stand well among the leading townships of the county.