WAYNE TOWNSHIP.
This township is one of the oldest in the county, having been constituted at one of the first sessions of the County Commissioners, in July, 1817. Its name was suggested by the prominent position occupied by Gen. Anthony Wayne, in the latter part of the last century, in matters pertaining to the permanent security of such settlers as might desire to make their homes in this locality. When Wayne was laid off, it contained all of the county north of a line commencing at the northwest corner of Township 12 north, Range 1 east, and running thence east to the northwest corner of Township 9 north, Range 4 east, thence south to the middle of said township, and east to the county line. In 1819, that part of Wayne lying in Township 9 north, Range 4 east, was attached to Adams Township. A year later, and all of Wayne that lay in Range 1 was united to Washington Township. In 1820. Richland was formed, which was taken principally from Wayne. but partly from Greenville and Adams. In 1841, Patterson was taken from the north end of Wayne. and contained all of that township that lay in Townships 12 and 13. Range 3. and 11 and.12. Range 4.
414 - HISTORY OF DARKE COUNTY.
The land is well watered and well drained. Its sections are traversed in south of west course by the railroad. and supplemented to its fine farms are villages, Versailles. Webster and North Jacksonville. In comparison with the townships heretofore named. Wayne is much the older. and. as is frequently the case, many of the settlers of Wayne migrating to the new townships became their pioneers. It is agreed that the first settler within the present limits of Wayne was David Ward. who, moving in from Covington. Miami County. in 1815. settled on land (more recently the property of Lewis Sherry). in Section 18. Ward had not long been established in his forest home when two neighbors moved in. Jacob Carlock entered land and made a clearing, where. in 1835. the village of Webster was laid out. and Zachariah Hole settled in the vicinity . Two years later, the population was increased by the arrival of Aaron Greer. Richard Brandon and Lewis Baker. and in 1818, Henry Swisher moved in. and was soon after made a Justice of the Peace, and so became the pioneer arbitrator of petty disputes. In addition to those named among the pioneers. may be given those of Peter Radabaugh, William McGrifi John Wyland, Thomas Bayman. N. York and Joseph McDonald. Allan Reed. who later became a merchant and engaged in business at Versailles, came to Wayne in 1821. The first white child born in the township was Dr. Stephen A. Greer, now living near Woodland. Patterson Township. The first man who died was named Atchison. The pioneer log schoolhouse was erected about 1821. It is a cause of regret that so meager a record should be acquired of a township so prominent in the threefold interests of civilization, agriculture, education and religion.
During the war of 1812, and subsequently, an eccentric character by the name of Conner, and his son. occupied a cabin not far from the present site of Versailles. With an old ox, the boy tilled a little patch of corn. while Conner hunted deer and other game. When their supply of corn-meal was exhausted, the boy saddled up the old ox, threw a sack of corn over him, mounted the whole and started thirteen miles to Greenville Falls to mill. When night overtook him, he tied the ox. built a fire, cooked his supper. and lay down alone in the woods to sleep. Many anecdotes are told of Conner, one of which we insert:
A man by the name of Wyland moved to the Laramie settlement, and a number of men went from here to help him build his cabin ; among those were Conner and Killbuck, an Indian chief. who concluded to remain in the neighborhood awhile, and have a good time. To aid in their happiness, they bought a half- gallon jug of whisky, started to the woods and made a camp. It snowed at night about six inches, and in the morning, Wyland saw a smoke in the woods. and Wondering what it was, approached it. and found Conner and Killbuck asleep. with the jug of whisky on one side, and their moccasins hanging on a stick on the other, and their guns leaning against a tree. Creeping softly up. lie took a good drink out of the jug and emptied the balance out, and put the moccasins in the fire, and retreated to the house. Wyland. watching them from the house, soon saw old Killbuck slowly raise up and brush the snow away and reach for the jug. turn it up to his lips, and dash it to pieces on the ground ; then Conner and Killbuck both got up, went to their guns, reprimed them, turned their heads toward the cabin, and sat down by the fire. Presently old Killbuck started off through the woods barefooted to the settlement. Conner, on the contrary, started toward a thicket where he knew Wyland had a valuable sow and pigs. Wyland saw him, and his anxious ear soon heard the crack of his rifle followed by the squealing of a hog, yet was afraid to venture out, knowing Conner would shoot him as quickly as the hog. Shortly Conner returned to the fire, stirred it up, and after warming himself, started off through the woods after old Killbuck. Wyland went to the bushes and found his sow dead and partly skinned, and small pieces of hide lying around, the remains of a pair of moccasins Conner had made.
About two weeks afterward, Wyland went to a Baptist meeting. In front of the " church were two large logs. Wyland occupied one, fed he was dismayed to see Conner approacl".
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and deliberately take a seat opposite to him, cross his legs. and bring his foot in unpleasant proximity to his nice. Looking down. what should he see but the black skin of his poor old sow ornamenting Conner's foot. which he persisted in putting in his face at every opportunity. As soon as the country began to settle up. Conner went further into the wilderness. and was never heard of again.
Jacob Garlock was the first settler at Webster. and came here in 1817. Stopped on Bald Hill and camped with old Kilbuck two weeks. The first graves in the township were on this hill, in which a woman and two children were buried, in about 1817 or 1818.
The first colored man. George Davenport, came to this township in 1817. Previously to coming here, he was an itinerant pewter-spoon molder, and in his travels was accompanied by a dog, which the Indians stole, and he followed them to this part of the country, recaptured his dog, and was so highly pleased with the surroundings that he built him a cabin and remained here.
The little settlement now began to receive accessions. In the following year (1818). Henry Swisher and Aaron Grier came to this township, the former of whom was of a jovial and humorous disposition, and delighted to relate anecdotes of early pioneer life. many of which still survive and are repeated by those who had the pleasure of hearing them from his own lips. Soon following these, were Isaac Finkbone, whose prowess in the many pugilistic encounters in which lie was engaged is well remembered by those who knew him ; and Aaron Grier, who came in about 1818. Within two years, it had received Allen Reed, who located in Section 19. and a family of Holes, who filled a space iu the forest. Leonard Hess came to this township in 1836. and is still living here, as are also Mr. Simon. who came from France in 1839, and firs' located in the northeast part of the township. where lie remained five years, then removed to the southwest part. remaining one year he came to Versailles. where he began business without capital and without knowing a word of English. When Mr. Simon first settled here, his nearest neighbor on the east was five miles, through the woods ; one-half mile on the west, and two miles on the north and south, and L. R. Hugh, the oldest man in the township. Mr. H. retains all his faculties and jocosely boasts that he can outrun any man of his age (eighty-four) in the county. John J. Begien lives about three miles southwest of Versailles. aged eighty-six, and was a member of Napoleon's old army in France. an honor of which but 'few living men, in this or any other country, can boast.
Such were the men who penetrated these parts of nature, who courted the solitude of the illimitable forest. and we may add, in the words of Virgil : " They neither pined with grief. lamenting the poor, nor envied the rich ; what fruits the boughs spontaneously yielded, they gathered ; nor saw the iron-hearted laws, the madly litigious bar, or the public courts.-
The Hardshell Baptists had a little church, the corner-stone of which is still to be seen in the yard of Dr. Gordon, of Versailles, in this township, and, it seems, their rules required every applicant for membership to give in a brief experience as a test of his fitness for admission.
A person, living up the creek, by the name of Stoner, it appears, notwithstanding his hard name, was a little soft. Nevertheless, he wanted to join the church. He rose in the congregation and thus began : I got up this mornin', greased my shoes, combed my head and started to meetin'. As I was a comin' along, I saw a tree ; I says to myself, Kin one man pull that ar tree up ? No ! Kin two men ? No ! Kin tow men ? No ! Kin twenty men ? No ! Kin God Almighty pull that tree up ? Yes ! I feel like suthin' is going to happen." He sat down. The preacher rose and said : "Brethren, extend the right hand of fellowship to Brother Stoner, for this is the true bleatin' of the lamb."
Frenchtown is a hamlet situated near the northwest corner of Wayne. Township, at the center of Section 11, Range 3, and, as its name denotes, has a population largely composed of French. The oldest living settler is J. P. Berge, who migrated hither from Stark County in 1838, If td entered an eighth-section of the
416 - HISTORY OF DARKE COUNTY.
public lands. The people are quiet and industrious, frugal and enterprising, and give themselves little concern in regard to events which are remote from them.
There is built here a fine church. belonging to the Catholics. and valued at $3,000. It stands upon land formerly owned by Jacob Subler. Part of the cemetery is upon land once the property of William Subler. and another part was owned by Catharine Subler. The present church edifice was built in 1866. at which time the Trustees were Joseph Beg. Henry Grilliot. George Grilliot and John B. Alexander. Father Kreush was then Pastor. A log church had stood on the same site for many years. The pioneer priest in this settlement was Father Navarron. A second church two and a half miles east of Frenchtown was built about 1848 and 1849. The following is illustrative of the times when these churches were being built : About seven miles east of Frenchtown, there was a settlement, then known as " Russia," and a wager of two gallons of whisky was laid between the church members of that locality and those of Frenchtown. to be claimed by the party that would get the first log of a certain size and length, hewed and in place. Frenchtown got the whisky. The first burial in the cemetery was Mrs. Peter Goffena. in 1842. The present Catholic priest is Rev. J. N. Borion. The membership of the church is over three hundred. A Catholic teacher is employed in the district school, whose average attendance is twenty-five. The first parsonage was built in 1850. The present parsonage is a neat brick cottage with pleasant grounds, and was built some few years ago. The first English teacher was B. Ward, about 1850. The principal store in the place. now kept by Michael Subler, was built in 1858, and has been used as a store from that time till now. Nicholas Krushet put in the first stock.
Versailles is the post town of Wayne Township. It was laid out by Silas Atchison in the year 1819, and at that time was known as Jacksonville. A school house was erected in 1821. There is now a good high school in the village. In 1820, the Baptists organized a society under the lead of Rev. Thomas Childers. Rev. Samuel Kyle, then resident near Piqua, Miami County. organized a Christian Church, and in 1823 a meeting-house was built by the Baptists, on land later owned by John Boyer, in Section 25. This church was the second one erected in the county. The Christians built about 1826. in Section 24. on land owned by William E. Larimore. There are a number of churches in the township. mainly at Versailles. The census of 1870 gave the population of Wayne as 1,983.