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437 - CARROLL AND HARRISON COUNTIES CHAPTER XXVI FREEPORT TOWNSHIP BOUNDARY-TOPOGRAPHY - ORGANIZATION - EARLY SETTLEMENT - VILLAGES- POPULATION. Freeport Township is situated in the extreme southwestern corner of Harrison County. It is four miles from north to south and six miles from east to west. It is bounded on the north by Washington Township, on the east by Moorefield Township, on the south by Guernsey County, and on the west by Guernsey County. Its topography is quite rough surfaced and in places its scenery is most beautiful and picturesque, with its almost mountain-like hills and deep valleys. On a small scale it resembles some of the world-famous mountain scenery of the far western country. At the village of Freeport, one may get a fine view of such scenery, going from the railway station to the village proper. The scene is one of a natural park once observed remains a vision of beauty forever. The hills, the narrow valley, the railway tracks winding through the scene and the waters of the Big Stillwater meandering its course through the landscape is indeed charming to behold. Crab Orchard Creek and scores of lesser streams are found in every part of the township, making the territory an ideal stock section, and as such it,has been developed and utilized for many decades with great profit to the husbandmen. POPULATION The census figures for the period from 1890 to 1910 show these facts : In 1890 there were 1,422 inhabitants ; in 1900, 1,379; and in 1910 it was placed at 1,193. Present census figures (1920) are 1,074. TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION Freeport Township was organized on December 6, 1824, along with Athens, Moorefield, German and Washington townships. This was by order of the Harrison County commissioners. The villages of the township are Freeport and Smyrna of which see later. The railroad facilities of this part of Harrison County are obtained through the Baltimore & Ohio system of steam railroad, with a good station point in this township at the village of Freeport. EARLY SETTLEMENT Before 1814 the settlers in Freeport Township were: Isaac Cadwallader, 1808, from Fayette County, Pennsylvania ; Samuel Colvin, 1812, from Washington County, Pennsylvania ; Daniel Easley, 1810, from Halifax County, Virginia ; John Gilmore, 1810, from New York ; 438 - CARROLL AND HARRISON COUNTIES John Hollett, about 1806, from Maryland ; Berriman McLaughlin, 1808; William Milton, 1812, from Washington County, Pennsylvania ; James, John, Richard, Thomas and William Reeves, 1813 ; Henry Stevens, 1808. VILLAGE OF FREEPORT This beautiful village with scenery scarcely found elsewhere in the commonwealth of Ohio, is situated on Stillwater Creek in the northeastern part of Freeport civil township, and has for its railroad the great Baltimore & Ohio system. It present population is 626. The United States census in 1890 gave it as having 672 ; in 1900 it was 690; in 1910 it was placed by the same report at only 624. It has a Methodist Episcopal, a Presbyterian and a Friends church, an account of which denominations will be found elsewhere in this work. The secret orders of Freeport are inclusive of the PICTURE OF THE CIVIL WAR POSTOFFICE OF FREEPORT Masonic, Blue Lodge and Eastern Star Chapter, the Knights of Pythias and Odd Fellows. The K. of P. has not been active for several years but the others named are in a flourishing condition, and their history will be found under the heading of Lodges, elsewhere in this work. Banking is carried on by the Freeport State Bank and the newspaper press is ably represented by the Press, an account of which is found m the Newspaper History elsewhere in this volume. Here one finds a modern school building erected in 1912 at a cost of $18,000 see Educational Chapter. The postoffice of Freeport has been in only a few men's hands since 1860 when Joseph Allen was postmaster. He was succeeded in order as follows: Israel Holliday, W. P. Holliday, S. C. Kelley, 1886 to 1890; R. M. Black. four-year term, after which D. M. Starkey was postmaster for eighteen years; next came W. A. Zellars followed by the present postmaster, L. S. Green. CARROLL AND HARRISON COUNTIES - 439 In early days it is related by old settlers how when mail was received at this office, the postmaster would put on his glasses and look the letters over carefully and call out the names so that he might speedily deliver it should the person be present. "Here is a letter from Sal Jones to John Ross. Here John, is your dear letter." This was a sample of how publicity was given to mail in the '50s and '60s in these country postoffices. INCORPORATION HISTORY Freeport was incorporated in 1880 and its first officers were: Allen Jones, mayor ; Andrew H. Steadman, clerk ; William Pierce, treasurer; councilmen: William Wherry, Z. Z. Courtwright, R. M. Black, Jonathan Dick, Abraham Slonaker and F. M. Knox ; marshal, John Harris. Allen Jones served as mayor until 1890. The first clerk, Andrew H. Steadman, is the author of the Steadman system of penmanship, which is the present system throughout the State of Ohio. Since 1891 the mayors have been—S. C. Kelley, I891-95 ; B. W. Rowland, 1895- 98 ; William B. Bartholomew, 1898-1900; L. B. Williams, 1900-06; N. R. Pettay, 1906-08; Boyd Kerr, 1908-10; Frank D. Green, 191012 ; T. M. Johnston, 1912-16; Clyde Derry, 1916-20; H. C. Chaney, 1920. The present 1920 officers are : H. C. Chaney, mayor ; Charles Linard, clerk ; A. B. Dunlap, treasurer ; 0. H. Fisher, marshal ; councilmen : R. W. McCullough, R. A. Saviers, 0. G. Bair, W. 0. Cole, James Clendening, L. E. Perkins; board of public affairs: 0. C. Brower, W. L. Gray, J. R. Morris. Freeport owns and operates its own waterworks system, which was newly constructed and laid in 1919, with a total cost of $18,000 which is standing out in bonds, and the village has a• total indebtedness of $19,000. The fire protection is 1,500 feet of good hose, a volunteer fire fighting force and gravity pressure which has proven efficient. A good public hall is owned by George W. Young & Son which gives good accommodations and has a seating capacity of 350 people. The resources are mostly agriculture. The chief employment for the small amount of labor is L. D. Latham & Sons, lumber dealers ; Saviers Bros., building contractors ; L. W. Gilchers Foundry Co., and the Baltimore & Ohio railroad and two small operating coal mines. FREEPORT SPECIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT Freeport is in a special school district and its present board of education is as follows : S. G. Cole, J. H. Young, 0. C. Brower, R. A. Saviers, D. C. Clendening; clerk, Charles Linard. The school building consists of a good six room building. with arrangements for building two more rooms. The cost of the building and grounds was about $18,000 in 1911 ; value today, $40,000. The bonded indebtedness of the school district in 1920 is $11,600. 440 - CARROLL AND HARRISON COUNTIES COMMERCIAL INTERESTS in the autumn of 1920 the business and professional interests of Freeport were as follows: Banking—The Freeport State Bank. Newspaper-The Press. Dentist—H. L. Bower. Physicians-Drs. W. A. Zellars, W. H. Black, C. C. Whitsett. General Merchandise—L. E. Perkins & Co., Cole & Cole, and E. T. Romans. Grocer—Charles Reaves. Furniture—O. G. Bair. Undertaker—E. D. Adams. Hardware—George Young & Son, B. F. Davidson. Jeweler—Heaston. Farm Implements—L. D. Latham & Sons. Meats—James Sweaney. Drugs-D. M. Starkey. Harness-A. W. Yarnell. Shoe Repairs—A. D. Taylor. Merchant Tailor-I. N. Pettay. Millinery—Mrs. S. G. Cole. Milling—The Freeport Milling Company, steam mill of a fifty barrel capacity daily. Iron Foundry-The Freeport Foundry Co., L. W. Gilcher, manager. Creamery-The Freeport Creamery Company. Telephone-The Freeport Telephone Company-among the best in Ohio. Garages—Oscar Brower and Ralph Reynolds. Stock Buyer-Arthur Miller. Grain Buyers—The Milling Company. Lumber Dealers-Savier Brothers, who also do mill work. Coal-The Orchard Coal Company, near town produce coal by the inclined system and employ about twenty men at present. Barbers—E. J. Nolan, Clyde Derry. Livery—Thomas Crabtree. Hotel-The Star and the Valley Hotel. Insurance-Fire and Life by James V. Latham. Opera Hall—George Young & Son. What is known as the Bear's Den Park is controlled by the citizens and has come to be a noted summer retreat-well worth one’s time to visit, VILLAGE OF SMYRNA The defunct village of Smyrna is situated in the southwest quarter of section 4, in Freeport Township. It was platted by Samuel Burrows, August 4, 1817 and filed on the same day of its platting. It is on the southern line of Harrison County and at an early date was an important postoffice and trading place for the surrounding community. CARROLL AND HARRISON COUNTIES - 441 Smyrna is in both Guernsey and Harrison counties—the larger part being in Guernsey County. A fair is held there annually, patronized by three counties—Belmont, Harrison and Guernsey—and it has its annual picnic which is looked forward to with much interest. |