438 - HISTORY OF DARKE COUNTY.
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.
This township was organized in March. 1819, and embraced what is now contained in both German and Washington Townships. In December, 1833, the north tier of sections of Township, 11 north was taken into the township, but a year later a subdivision was made, the southern part taking the name of German, thereby leaving a small indebtedness incurred in opening roads, for the old township to pay.
The township as now organized contains 20,982 acres of land, and at one time was heavily timbered. It is well watered by springs and by streams flowing over the surface. The soil is unsurpassed by any in the county for the production of all the grains and grasses adapted to this county. and for health none excel it. The facts of the history which follow are supplied by Joseph Cole, a native of the township, and now fifty-five years of age. He speaks from personal experience, and of his own knowledge. when he says : " The task the pioneer farmer had in subduing the forest for his first crop was. to say the least. a very arduous undertaking, when with his own hand he grubbed. chopped, picked and burned all the undergrowth—that is to say, all what was called a foot and under ; and then, having the larger trees girdled, he was ready to commence plowing. or rather digging among the roots. A team of horses or cattle, harness, and a plow of a very rude structure, was his outfit to commence the task of preparing for a crop, and by diligence he usually raised a fair yield of corn, pumpkins, beans, potatoes and all kinds of garden vegetables. The first season, a small field was thus cleared and tilled. This ground was usually sown to wheat in the corn ground, or after the corn was cut up. And when the wheat was matured, it was gathered by hand with the sickle. hauled in and stacked. In winter it was either beaten off with the flail. or tramped off with horses, when the grain was separated from the chaff by running through the windmill. This was not always practicable. for it sometimes occurred that the poor man had to cleanse his grain by fanning it by hand, using a linen sheet. or by throwing it from one side of his dirt floor to the other, repeating the operation until it was sufficiently clean for milling or sowing.
“Field after field was added yearly until the farm was opened up, until. of 1the 20,000 acres of forest, more than 14.000 are now under a fair state of cultivation. There was a steady adherence to the same rotation of crops as fields were added. giving fair yields for the labor : and, with what wild game could be killed, furnished the settler with provisions sufficient for himself and family, and a surplus to divide with the newcomer as he dropped in. And this hard way in this wild wood seemed not to depress. for the settlers were apparently the happiest people on the face of the earth. Thus all crops were raised, the entire work being done by hand ; and but little more was produced than home needs required. Prices were very low. Wheat was sold at 3 and 4 shillings per bushel. Day laborers got from 2 to 3 shillings per day or $7 to $10 per month ; but how different now after the lapse of half a century. The farms are cleared of stumps and stones, and much of the work is done by machinery, horse-power and steam supplanting the sinewy arm and strong hand that handled hoe, sickle, cradle and
HISTORY OF DARKE COUNTY - 439
flail. The grain is easily raised. and prices are greatly increased. Financially the first settlers were all poor, having gone into the unsettled part that they might obtain homes at the Government price. They understood fully the advantages of co-operating by mutual aid in raising cabins, and other efforts ; and as long as one had bread or seed, he divided with his less fortunate neighbor. Many lived to good old age. and beyond the allotted threescore and ten, relics of the past. observers of the future, whose changes they could not have foreseen.
The first to locate in the township were Martin and Jacob Cox, from Pennsylvania. They settled on the right bank of Greenville Creek, on October 16, 1816, the former on Section 13, the latter on Section 14 ; there they made permanent homes. upon which they passed their lives. Jacob died in 1842. leaving his farm to his children; Martin occupied the farm about forty-two years, and made many improvements. An only child inherits his estate. James Brady and Samuel Cole, the two next settlers, came from Sussex County, N. J., in March, 1817. Brady located on Section 26. and thereon passed his life, dying at the age of fifty-one, in the year 1838. His widow, at the advanced age of ninety, still lives on the farm with her son. J. M. Brady. Samuel Cole settled on Section 27, where he remained till 1824. and here it was where the first white child was born within the township. Jane Cole was born April 20. 1817; she is now the widow Wintermote, and resides in Greenville Township, to which Mr. Cole moved and settled on Section 19, where he died February 21. 1866, aged seventy-nine. Samuel Cole, Sr., came in 1818, and lived with his son until his death in 1829, at the age of seventy-nine. Levi Elston from the same county and State as the above, settled in'1818, on Section 26, and made some improvements. but did not live long to enjoy them, but the farm remained in the hands of his widow and children for nearly half a century. In May following, John Snell and Daniel Shively both settled on Section 27, and cleared up lands bordering on the second branch of Greenville Creek ; with the others that gathered in. there was formed a Dutch settlement, thereby giving to the second branch the name of Krout Creek. Snell. after getting his land in a fair state of cultivation, sold and went to Missouri in 1839. but Shively remained on his farm until his death in 1841 aged forty-nine years. Others here were Peter and John Heck, the Millers. the Rarieks, and Clapps from Pennsylvania. In 1818, a number of families from New Jersey settled here. forming what was called the Jersey settlement. William Martin entered a part of Section 25, made some improvements, but did not live long to enjoy his labors a part of the farm is still owned by his son John M. Martin. John Chenoweth located on Section 32, in 1819, and erected a cabin. cleared land and gradually made extensive improvements. He raised a large family. and after a sojourn of between forty and fifty years, sold and moved to Illinois. where he died at an advanced age. He was frequently heard to remark that he could start at the Scioto, his native home, and travel all the way to Iowa with a team. and stay every night with some one of his connections.
From different States. the families continued to arrive during the year 1818. There was John Clapp. from Maryland, who settled on Section 34, cleared up his farm and in 1823. built a mill, hereafter noted. He died here at the age of seventy, in the year 1846. Philip Rarick, from Pennsylvania, occupied part of the same section. raised a large family, and in time died. Joel Cosad, from New York, settled on Section 35. and in 1833. removed to Dayton. Nathaniel Skidmore and Jeremiah Rogers. both of New Jersey, entered portions of Section 28; the former cleared a large farm. upon which he resided until 1855, when he died, aged sixty-six years. Rogers died some years earlier. Samuel and Peter Kimber, from New Jersey, settled on Section 23, improving the same, and living there until 1852, when Peter sold out, but still resided in the neighborhood until his death in 1870, at the age of seventy-nine. Christian Miller, came in 1819, and built on Section 22, and there passed his life. Clearing was continued by Jonah Miller, who occupied until 1867, when he went to Wabash County, Ind., where he died in 1878.
440 - HISTORY OF DARKE COUNTY.
Henry Creviston, even in boyhood. was known at old Fort Greenville. during the war of 1812, and for some time after. About 1830. he made settlement in this township, on Section 9, and on this farm remained until his death. It was said by the old settlers, familiar with the old rough times, in and about the fort, that there was no one came to the fort his equal in activity and muscular strength. Ignatius Burns first located on Section 24, but soon sold. and Philip Manuel was acknowledged as the first to make permanent improvement on the same. He was from Kentucky, and died in the township on his farm, aged seventy-eight, in the year 1871. Moses Crumrine entered part of Section 22. made considerable clearing, and now, aged seventy-five, is still hale and hearty, and bids fair for many years. Jesse Gray, a noted hunter. settled on the border of Section 5, but-the rifle, not the ax, was his weapon, and he moved westward to Jay County, Ind.. where he died at a very old age ; and there was Jacob Chenoweth, a wolf trapper. who occupied a rude cabin on Section. 19, and at length, at a ripe age, died. There, too, was Joseph Cole, Sr., a settler on Section 21, in 1826. He was noted, not only as a farmer, but as a first-class country blacksmith. He is still living on the old homestead, although past his fourscore and four years. Those named were not all, examples only of the many. There were Conrad Harter. Charles Sumption, Solomon Harter, Joseph Dixon, L. D. Wintermote, Hezekiah Fowler, all early settlers, who helped in the great task of subduing the forest. And there, too. were David Wasson, John S. Hiller and Isaac Vail, and besides, there were Thomas F. Chenoweth, a settler on Section 23, where, at the age of seventy. he has lived nearly sixty years ; and Aaron Hiller. a farmer on Section 36. where he died, aged seventy. A single additional name is given, that of Johnson Deniston, who settled on Section 23, about the year 1825. It was on his farm that the boys met to enjoy the holiday of all holidays—the annual muster of the militia. This took place one week before what was called the Big Muster in Greenville, which was once each year. Mr. Cole says : " Well, it was just about as much as a boy could stand, to hear the martial music, especially when John and Israel Cox were the fifers, as both were capital players, and Israel, especially. was excelled by none ; to see Capt. Marquis in his gay uniform, and hear his shrill command, and to see William Scott beat the tenor-drum. It was good enough for any boy of the day to see and hear. but big musters in regimental drill, with officers in full dress. mounted. was as much as the boy nature could endure."
It would not be true to say that these first settlers found the country just as the red man left it. for he had not gone. He was friendly. molesting neither man nor beast, and frequently called at the cabin door for food. It is not enough to say of these pioneers that they were farmers, for they were mechanics. teachers and preachers, as well. They tanned their own leather, made their own shoes. did their own coopering and blacksmithing. taught their schools. and had. in the person of John Wintermote, what has been called a " Hardshell " Baptist preacher— the first minister to locate in the township.
Of the improvements of Washington Township. it is hard to tell where to begin, as it was an unbroken wilderness. The first road or trace to this settlement from Greenville was to cross Greenville Creek, just above what is now known as George Van Dike's ashery ; then by the D. Irwin farm, winding up the north side of Greenville Creek, by Dean's:Alin, to what was then known as the %Tam cabin, about where A. Hays now lid. and crossing Greenville Creek just below the Murphy graveyard ; thence by D. Williamson's and Daniel Potter's. The next road was what was called the Jersey road, crossing Greenville Creek at the same point ; thence. recrossing at Tecumseh's Point ; thence. keeping south of the creek. crossing the west branch north of George Fox's mill. and so on west to the Jersey settlement and Krout Creek.
The first grist-mill erected within the township was built by John Clapp, in 1823, on the second branch, on what is now known as the Bartow farm. It was a very rude structure. but as good as the times and financial conditions would permit.
HISTORY OF DARKE COUNTY - 441
although the greater part of the work on the dam, digging the race and putting up the house, was done by volunteer work. The next, in the way of mill improvements, was a saw-mill, built by Jeremiah Rogers, on Hoover's Branch, on the farm now owned by Peter Skidmore, which was of service many years ; but of these two old mills, only the landmarks are left.
Soon after these mills were built. David Clapp, early in 1832, commenced to build a flouring-mill on the second branch. The same fall, a saw-mill was running. The grist-mill began to run in the following year., The race was dug nearly half a mile through the roots of the primitive forest. Samuel Hatter and Joseph Rarick took the job for $100, and they hired William Baldwin, William Dennison, John Dixon and George Young to assist them. These men worked at prices ranging from 2 to 3 shillings per day. Andrew Bickel was also employed. Being considered rather an extra hand, he was paid 43 cents per day, the understanding being that he should keep the fact of greater wages to himself. Prior to the erection of this mill, the people here were used to going to a small flouring-mill near Coletown. The year 1832 was marked by a severely cold winter, and the mill froze up. Mr. Bickel tells of working, in company with two others, nearly all day to get the ice cut out, and all the grinding done by night was a half-bushel of cornmeal. This they divided between them, in shares proportioned to the size of the respective families. There are now four water rnd two steam saw-mills in the township. McClure's mill is run by water and by steam ; it has been repaired and rebuilt, until it is now a first-class flouring-mill, and is worthy of the patronage given.
These enterprising pioneers soon began to want a little nicer and safer chimney than the one of mud and sticks, so, with John Snell at the lead, they in common set to work to burn a brick-kiln, but in order to succeed they were obliged to go over to Greenville Township to call upon Hiller to assist in the molding and burning. They did good work, as some of the old chimneys will yet testify. James Brady and John Chenoweth were the first to burn brick and to build .brick houses, but Joel Cosad was the first to build a frame house. It was about 18x20 feet base and one story high. One fact in this connection is worthy of note, that is. but few ever left the county who once settled in it ; they were either satisfied with the country or were else too poor to get away. As we have indicated, there are quite a number that have lived in the township from fifty to sixty years. In early times, there was a struggle for village notoriety between Nashville and Hill Grove. but long ago Nashville yielded the contest and not a building is left to mark the site of the wouldbe village, and Hill Grove came very near being absorbed by Union City. In this connection, it is well to recall Colona, a village located on December 31. which bloomed and died in a brief time. A few lots were laid out and sold, and a few dwellings were erected, but it soon became apparent that there was nothing to incite effort or induce settlement, and the vestiges of occupation soon disappeared, and few, if any, of the citizens of the township in 1880 remember or ever knew that the village of Colona ever had existence. It. like Nashville, was laid out on the old State road, and afforded a halting place to movers and travelers, where they might rest and might obtain food for themselves and for their teams.
The village of Hill Grove is situated at the northwest corner of Section 4. It was laid out in 1848, by W. McKee. The population numbers about two hundred persons. It is distant from Union City but little more than two miles, and from Greenville nine and a half. The Greenville & Union pike and the Dayton & Union Railroad run through it. It contains three churches—the German Reformed, United Brethren and Methodist Episcopal. The former was originally built by the Old School Presbyterians, and purchased by the society named in 1876, and Rev. .I. Stuck has been Pastor ever since. It was rebuilt during the summer of 1879. and is a neat brick structure, pleasantly located on the north side of Liberty street. in the northeastern part of town. The United Brethren
442 - HISTORY OF DARKE COUNTY.
Church is a neat frame, medium-sized building, near the township line, and built in 1878. The Methodist Church is situated over the line a short distance. in Jackson Township, in the northwest part of the village and near that end of Main street. The schoolhouse, which has a school enrolling ninety-four pupils. is located on Main street, opposite the southeast end of Locust street. On the corner of Cherry and Liberty streets stands a two-story grist-mill, originally built as a warehouse when the railroad was put through. It has two run of Indus. and is employed exclusively in custom work. Its present owner is Louis Limperd. and it is run by Samuel Limperd. J. A. Bickell's general store is located on the southeast corner of Main and Liberty streets. On the opposite side of Main street. but farther south, on Lot No. 27, is a blacksmith-shop, built by J. Consptie in 1857 ; the old part was built by Wash. McKee about 1834. Mr. McKee kept the first store in Hill Grove, but a short time before there had been a trading station run by Charles Sumption. Herman Searles was among the early storekeepers in the township, and George Clapp built the first blacksmith-shop ; it was located about half a mile southeast. of the present village. As to the schools, they were generally taught in old deserted cabins until the settlers saw fit to select some convenient site and unite on some day to build a cabin ; afterward a teacher was hired by the process of joint subscription.
There is as yet no school law, no defined districts, and there is something yet lacking. It is the year 1822, and the house stands surrounded by a pathless forest and the woodmen's children cannot find their way securely. Parents and older boys select the best and nearest paths, which they blaze and cut away brush from. They cuts small trees across slashes and branches. They put up hand poles to steady the children in crossing, and then, with Webster's Speller. English Reader, Pike's Arithmetic, slate and pencil, one-half quire blue paper, one-half dozen goose quills and a bottle of home-made ink, the most advanced was thoroughly equipped and, not unfrequently, several of the same family were used to study the same meager set of books.
In this rude state, the children sat for hours on a bench, crowded together with feet swinging between bench and floor from morning till noon, and not allowed to whisper or scarcely look off their books without being liable to punishment.
As to the teachers, they were usually limited in qualifications. being generally competent to instruct in orthography. reading. writing and arithmetic ; sometimes knowledge of the latter was very limited. All were skilled in the use of the rod, which was plied unmercifully on the slightest neglect or provocation. There were only three months school each year, and these were in the winter. and unexceptionally taught by school masters.
The first school taught in the township was under control of Samuel Cole. during the winter of 1818-49, in one part of his double log cabin, on the farm now owned by Dilmon Mote. The pioneer school building was raised on the farm of John Snell, now owned by Samuel Elston, in the year 1821 or 1822. The first schoolhouse in the Bickel neighborhood was built at an early day, not later than 1835. Various persons taught subscription schools for short terms therein. Still earlier, schools were kept as above stated. The first school taught in this house, after public money had been granted in partial support of education, was by J. H. Williamson. His first school, taught when he was but fourteen years of age, was in a neighboring district, the previous winter. He afterward taught at McClure's Mills, and in various other districts. Joseph Worth taught three winters. amounting to ten months of twenty-six days to the month, for $10 per month, and boarded himself, save when the weather was too bad for him to go home. Another pioneer- like schoolhouse was built in 1831. on the place of Martin Cox, and another of the old teachers was Thomas Hoffman.
Contrast the past with the present. There are now in the township eleven school districts, with a large brick house in most of them. Each house will seat
HISTORY OF DARKE COUNTY - 443
an average of sixty pupils. There are elegant seats. fine desks, good blackboards, charts, and well-arranged rooms. Pupils are well supplied with as many books as they can well carry. and thrice as many as they can well study. There are competent teachers, well paid, and free schools full six months each year. The contrast of wages is from the $25 to $35 per quarter of sixty-five days' term olden times. paid in produce in part, to the from $100 to $120 per quarter of sixty days, cash in hand.
A brief reference to the churches is appropriate in the detail of important social organizations. The Hiller Church, built on Section 36, was the first built in the township, and, also, was the first built in the county. The date of its construction is traditionally fixed in 1819, and it was the volunteer labor of the able-bodied men of the whole settlement, and. when it was completed, it was free to all. It was known as a Methodist Episcopal Church, and still stands. The next church was the Chenoweth Church. built on Section 32, at an early date, by the Methodists. It subserved the purpose of its construction, and has long since been leveled to the earth. The third building for purposes of worship was erected on the farm of Martin Cox. on Section 14. by the people of the Presbyterian society. It was known as the " Cox Meeting-house. These were points and places well known, but the usual place of worship was the cabin or barn of the settler, or. in warm. pleasant weather. in God's first temples—the shade of noble forest trees.
A German Baptist Church is located on the northeast quarter of Section 9, about one and a half miles southeast of Hill Grove, on the Greenville and Union pike. The lot on which it was situated. comprising three-fourths of an acre, was donated by John Flory. The church was built during the spring of 1878. It is a neat frame structure. costing $800. The building committee were Jacob Merrick. John Flory and Daniel Wagner. The following named preachers have officiated therein : William Simmons. Washington Wenrick. Samuel Puterbaugh and Benjamin Bowman. Services by some of the above were held on almost every Sunday. There is a good membership. but no Sabbath school.
We have said that not unusually services were held in the forest. The Methodist frontier camp-meetings were once an institution that could not well be dispensed with. and seemed to be a recruiting point for the M. E. Church, and a place where all met on a common level for the renewal of their spiritual strength, and to extend a general acquaintance among the brotherhood. or he first meeting or encampment of this kind held anywhere in Darke or adjoining counties, so far as known. took place in Washington Township. on Section 33, in the vicinity of what was then known as the Devor Spring, but what is now denominated the Houpt Farm. The date of the meeting is not remembered. In 1838-39, a Methodist camp-meeting was held on the farm of John Chenoweth, on Section 32. Of the ministers present and actively engaged, but one is recalled, and this was Rev. W. W. Jordan. The camps were built of poles, and on three sides, forming what might he termed a hollow square. with the seats between the camps, and the pulpit having a central position at one end. facing the center. The period of encampment usually lasted from ten days to two or three weeks. It is needless to say that the "rowdies," as styled by the church people, had their full share of recreation at these assemblies.
The oldest record that can be found of the board of township officers commences with 1828. yet there is a record of the ear marks of animals running at large which goes as far back as April 20. 1819, thereby preserving the names of the Township Clerks that far back. The first Township Clerk's name thus obtained is Moses Rush for 1819 ; the second John McNeal, for 1820 ; John Wintermote for 1821-22 ; Samuel Cole for 1823, and Christian Miller for 1824. In 1828, there is a full board given. as follows : Charles Sumption, James Brady and Leonard Wintermote, Trustees : Samuel Kimber, Treasurer ; John S. Hiller, Clerk. The governing motives of those early officers of Washington Township was undoubtedly purely patriotic, for no Trustee, Treasurer or Clerk ever charged one cent for
444 - HISTORY OF DARKE COUNTY.
his services until 1838, when the Clerk, Aaron Hiller, who had to perform extra services in regard to school affairs, made a charge of and was allowed the sum of $5. All settlements prior to this show that the Township Board gave their services gratuitously.
The receipts and expenditures of each year, from the formation of the township up to 1835, range from nothing to $12 ; but in this year the amount in the hands of the Treasurer was $43.04, mostly from the sale of stray animals.
The following are two settlements in full given by the Township Board :
James Brady, Treasurer, receipts and expenditures of Washington Township for the year next preceding the year 1830.
DR.
Received on note on Jesse Gray $2.18 3/4
Ca.
Paid to Henry Creviston, as per order $1.00
Paid for paper .31 1/4 1.31 1/4
Balance in Treasurer's hands .87 1/2
HUGH MARTIN,
JOSIAH D. ELSTO - Trustees
JOHN SNELL,
JOHN S. HILLER, Township Clerk.
In 1833, this settlement occurs with Aaron Hiller. Treasurer :
Received nor laid out no money this year; the amount in the Treasury this year is $20 754, and
the Treasurer makes no charge for his services.
JOHN CARNAHAN, Trustees
DAVID CLAPt'.
JOSEPH COLE, Township Clerk.
In like manner the settlements run until 1840, when money matters began to increase, especially as the public money for school purposes was handled by the Treasurer. The records show that but five different men had filled the office of Treasurer since 1827, namely : Samuel Kimber, James Brady, Aaron Hiller, John McClure and George McClure. John McClure has filled the position continuously since 1838, save one term when he was a member of the Ohio Legislature, being Treasurer thirty-six years. The office of Justice of the Peace has run much after the style of Treasurer. Aaron Hiller served as Justice for twenty-one years, and T. F. Chenoweth for twenty-three years, and is still (1876) holding that office.
In 1824, the political cast was all on one side, nearly all voting for Andrew Jackson for President, there being but three votes cast against him. Though in later years not so radical, except in 1854, when the township took another freak, and all went solid for the Know-Nothing ticket, except seven who voted the Democratic ticket. These were the extremes. Usually in township elections there has been but little party strife.
The citizens are strictly agriculturists. The township expenses have been moderate, and the rate of taxation has always been among the lowest in the county while her improvements have equaled the best. The old survivors of the early day have seen much change. Where Indian traces wound their sinuous way through the forest, there are now many miles of turnpike roads and well-improved dirt roads. Log house and stump-marked clearing are replaced by handsome homes, well-tilled fields and well-drained lands, and the present of the township is a constant source of satisfaction to pioneers as the rightful result of years of toil.