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428 - OLD MILL, ATHENS TOWNSHIP, HARRISON COUNTY CARROLL AND HARRISON COUNTIES - 429 CHAPTER XXIII ATHENS TOWNSHIP BOUNDARY-TOPOGRAPHY - ORGANIZATION - POPULATION - EARLY SETTLEMENT- VILLAGE OF NEW ATHENS. Athens Township is on the southern line of Harrison County, with Belmont County at the south ; Shortcreek Township, Harrison County at the east; Moorefield Township on the west, and Cadiz Township on the north. (See chapter on County and Township Organization for numbers of sections, etc., as related to government surveys of this township.) Among the streams of this township may be mentioned Campbell Run, Crabapple Creek, South Fork, Jockey Fork, Boggs Fork and lesser streams. This township is not yet touched by a railroad, and the only village within the limits of the township is New Athens, of which later mention is made in this chapter as well as in the educational chapter. ORGANIZATION Athens Township was organized December 6, 1824 by the county commissioners, four other civil townships being formed the same date —German, Moorefield, Freeport and Washington. POPULATION The United States census returns for the present census period have not yet been made public as to sub-divisions of counties, but this township had a population in the three previous enumeration years as follows : In I890 it had 1,195 ; in 1900 it was 1,081 and in 1910 was 943. OTHER FEATURES The reader will find much concerning the schools, churches, lodges and other features in the general county chapters-see index. SETTLEMENT OF ATHENS TOWNSHIP Before 1814 came in the following settlers : Simpson Bethel, 1806, from Loudoun County, Virginia; Stacy Bevan, 1811; Jacob Black, Sr., 1808, from Fayette County, Pennsylvania; James Cooke, before 1810, from Washington County, Pennsylvania; Joseph Covert, 1813, from Fayette County, Pennsylvania; William Crawford, 1809; David Cunningham, 1811, from Fayette County, Pennsylvania; Joshua Dickerson, 1811, from Fayette County, Pennsylvania ; David Drake, 1806; Adam Dunlap, before 1809, from Fayette County, Pennsylvania; John Dunlap, 1812, from Fayette County. Pennsylvania; William Dunlap, 430 - CARROLL AND HARRISON COUNTIES 1806, from Fayette County Pennsylvania ; John Fagley, 1811 ; Samuel Foster, 1813, from Allegheny County, Pennsylvania; Thomas Gordon, 1811; Samuel Hanna, 1805, from Washington County, Pennsylvania; Joseph Hollaway, 1810; Samuel Hutchison, 1810, from Chester County, Pennsylvania; .Robert Innis, 1812, from Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania ; Samuel Jumps, 1812; Samuel Knight, 1808 ; Job Lewis, 1811 ; John Loney, 1812 ; John Love, 1808, from Washington County, Pennsylvania ; John McAdams, 1811, from Washington County, Pennsylvania ; George McConnell, 1805, from Washington County, Pennsylvania ; John McConnell, 1806, from Washington County, Pennsylvania; John McCoy, 1806, from Washington County, Pennsylvania; Thomas McCoy, before 18I0, from West Virginia ; Robert McCracken, 1805, from Washington County, Pennsylvania James McDowell, 1806, from Fayette County, Pennsylvania ; John McDowell, 1809, from Fayette County, Pennsylvania ; Samuel McDowell, Jr., 1806, from Fayette County, Pennsylvania ; John Maholm, 1812 ; Alexander Moore, 1813; Nathaniel Parramour, 1811 ; Caleb Pumphrey, 1808 ; John Reed, 1812; Nathan Shepherd, 1807, from Brooke County, West Virginia ; Roger Toothacre, 1811 ; Jacob Webb, from Fayette County, in 1806. NEW ATHENS The village of New Athens, on the St. Clairsville and Cadiz pike, is seven miles south of Cadiz, and has long been the seat of Franklin College. In 1889 its public school census was 156. At that date there were Presbyterian, United Presbyterian, Protestant Episcopal churches and one banking house, operated by John Dunlap, Jr. The present (1920-1921) business and professional interests of New Athens are as follows : Lorain Johnson, general store ; J. H. Estep, druggist ; J. K. Douglas, restaurant ; Ross Horton, furniture repairs; Murry Shivers, meats ; J. C. Hughes, tin shop; Hill's Grocery ; Will McFadden, hardware ; Bentley Williams, paper and paint store; Ed Harris, barber ; Frank Parrishm, blacksmith ; D. D. Bear, grocery; Cloyd McFadden, grocery ; C. B. Dawson, undertaker ; Bert Blacksmith; G. W. Harris, shoemaker, also harness supplies. New Athens is an incorporated village and now has about 600 population. Franklin College, established in 1825, will probably close its doors permanently at the end of this year. (See Educational Chapter.) The following have served as postmasters of recent years : Messrs. J. H. Estep, William Cook, James J. Justice and Mary Horton. The present physicians of the village are Drs. James A. McGrew and A. B. Tubbs. The churches found here are the Methodist Episcopal, the Presbyterian and United Presbyterian denominations. There are no secret societies in the village at this time. AN HISTORIC FLOURING MILL What is known usually as the Shannon Mill in Athens Township, on the headwaters of the Little Stillwater Creek on land owned by the Dunlap estate, is almost, if not quite, 100 years old. It is a log- 431 - PICTURE OF STEAM WAGON 432 - CARROLL AND HARRISON COUNTIES frame structure and has many adzed timbers about its make-up. The last miller employed there was Amon Shannon hence the name "Shannon Mills." Down stream a mile west, was the old William Gregg mill; and a half mile further down stream was the famous Dickerson mills and two miles down stream was the old Lafferty mills. The first was only a saw mill, while the two latter were combined flour and saw mills. The Dickerson mill was built by Samuel Jones in 1832 and re-built in 1852 by John and Adam Dickerson, father and uncle of S. C. Dickerson of Cadiz. It was torn down and moved to Piedmont in 1886, and was converted into a steam mill in 1872. The Dickerson mill became famous for the grade of flour that run from its burrs and a ready sale was had for the products of the mill in the markets of Wheeling, Bridgeport and other Ohio River points. The flour was transported to market overland in large high-wheeled, deep- bedded wagons in use in those days. Here within four miles existed for years three mills, along the same stream, operated by the waters from a race run from a distance of five miles from the very headwaters of the Little Stillwater. The illustration of this old mill (still standing, though in decay), shows the old twenty foot overshot water wheel at the side of the millrace. Indeed a wonderful story could this old land-mark tell had it only a tongue. FIRST TRACTION ENGINE IN THE UNITED STATES What is believed to have been the first steam wagon or steam propelled vehicle in the United States (if not the world) was the one made by Oliver H. Burdette, of New Athens, about 1872-1873. Mr. Burdette not having much means took a partner in with him from Athens, Illinois, by the name of Webb, hence the steam wagon was styled the "Webb and Burdette Steam Wagon." Burdette was the originator of the scheme to run vehicles on land and for handling loads and machinery the same as the modern tractor, only that it was to be run by steam and succeeded so well that he had it in trim at the County Fair m 1873 and went around the track twice, before the horse races commenced one day. After making the run he shut off steam and raised his large black beaver hat and commenced to sing in a loud voice, "Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory, Etc." amidst deafening shouts from the multitude present. That was forty-eight years ago— long decades before the present automobile or traction engines and trucks were dreamed of. It must be recorded that others took dvantage of this inventor and he never realized any compensation for his genius and labor. He also invented the Burdette Endless Chain for machinery, so common today, and it is said that western machine men combined in beating him out of his patents on the same. At the age of about eighty-four Mr. Burdette passed from earth's toiling millions. He died poor but highly respected. |