426 - HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

CHAPTER XLVI.

JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP.

DESCRIPTION - STREAMS - SOIL - TIMBER - ORGANIZATION EARLY OFFICERS - REDUCTION TO ITS PRESENT LIMITS LIST OF VOTERS-FIRST SETTLEMENT- INDIANS FINAL FAREWELL - PIONEER LIST OF 1869 - BELLEVILLE - NEWSPAPERS - BANGOR - EARLY SCHOOLS - RELIGION - CHURCHES - SOCIETIES - FIRST ORCHARDS- DISTILLERY - BIRTH - MARRIAGE - MILLS - TORNADO - STORIES BUSHONG MURDER-THE HERMITESS-SOLDIERS OF 1812.

JEFFERSON is one of the original surveyed townships, containing thirty-six sections and is cute of the moat important in the county in its historical, as well as in its other characteristics. Its surface is rough and diversified, to an extent that is only excelled by one other township in the county Worthington. The Clear Fork, Honey Creek and a Branch of the Owl Creek flow through it from west to east and their numerous tributaries, which gather the water from a thousand springs, make the township a succession of ridges and depressions. The Clear fork is the largest stream, and its valley is from one hundred to two hundred rods wide and the stream occupies the southern part of the flat. In ages past it flowed along the northern part of the valley and gradually cut away the hills toward the south, and now this bank of the stream is perpendicular, fifty feet high, and in places cliffs hang over the stream, which in midsummer, afford a retreat as pleasant as that

"Beneath the shade of Vecta's cliffy isle."

The honey Crock gathers the water from the central part of the township and the tributary of the Owl Creek and one of the Clear Fork, from the southern part. The second tier of sections from the southern line, forms the summit of the watersheds of the Owl Creek and Clear Fork. Almost the entire surface of the township is susceptible of cultivation. The soil of the chestnut ridges. which comprise no small part of the township, is clayey, stony and thin, but with the use of fertilizers, in connection with proper cultivation, it yields abundantly the ordinary cereals. The soil of the Clear fork and other valleys is loamy, preeminently fertile and exuberantly productive. Had the pioneers developed the true power of the soil, sories would have returned to the east, approaching the emigrant's dream of Kansas in point of greatness. The 'New Purchase " would have abounded in chickens that lay two goose eggs each per day ; choice pigs, full of forks, squealing to be eaten, pure fat, rolling in the plow furrows and the cornstalks bearing Continental dollars at every "jint." The numerous springs gushing from the hills supply an abundance of water. and render a large acreage of the township valuable for stock-raising.

Originally the territory was covered with a dense growth of oak, walnut, ash, elm, chestnut, hickory, linn, gum. sassafras, sycamore, hard and soft maple, and a good variety of the smaller growths. A large per cent of the land is yet covered with forest, although Jefferson is one of the most thickly settled townships in the county.

The first election district, named Jefferson, was organized August 9, 1814, and was twelve

HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY. - 427

miles wide and eighteen miles long, embracing six Congressional townships. namely: Jefferson, Perry, Congress, North Blooming Grove, Troy and Washington. So rapidly this territory was settled, that a new election district seemed proper, and, September 5, 1814. the territory in question was divided. and the north half received the name of Troy. This left to Jefferson three townships the, present Jefferson, Perry and Congress ; and while it retained this boundary one election was held. Michael Shuey, Benjamin Potts and John Leedy were chosen Trustees, and William Spears, Clerk. The township was heavily in debt so they regarded it and the Trustees agreed to serve for nothing; and by common consent William Spears was allowed $1 for services as Clerk. On September 3, 1816, this election district was again divided, and the Jefferson Township of to-day was then organized. The Township Trustees made a final settlement with the Trustees of Perry Township October 12, 1816, and the indebtedness of the old district was $54.94, which was equally divided-Jefferson assuming one-half. The Trustees of this turned over to Perry one-half of a bond of $17 which they held against William Spears and John Lent, given for a stray horse the former purchased. The first election. after the township was reduced to six miles square, was held in April, 1818 and the following persons were elected to office: Justice of the Peace, Michael Shuey ; Trustees, Samuel Devo, Barson Sweet and Enoch Ogle; Clerk, Timothy Evarts ; Constables, William Casper and Benjamin Thrailkill. The names of the voters at this election, and the place of their nativity and location in the j township, are as follows

Charles Strong, from Maryland southeast quarter of Section 29 ; George Strong, from Maryland, southeast quarter of Section 33 ; John Strong, from Maryland, southwest quarter of Section 27 ; Isaac Armstrong, from Maryland, northwest quarter of Section 24 ; Fred Wise, from Pennsylvania, northeast quarter of Section 34; Martin Crow, from Pennsylvania, northwest quarter of Section 26 ; Casper Fitting, northwest quarter of Section 33; Thomas Griswold, northwest quarter of Section 30 : William Casper. from Kentucky, northeast quarter of Section 27; Benjamin Hennis, northeast, quarter of Section 19: John Robinson, from Pennsylvania, southwest quarter of Section 11 ; John Gatton, from Maryland, northeast quarter of Section 13; Jacob Culver, from Pennsylvania, northeast quarter of Section 10; Barson Sweet; from Vermont. northwest quarter of Section 16 ; Abram Vaughn, from Maryland, southwest quarter of Section 15; James Doughty, from New York, southwest quarter of Section 9; Abineal Dodge, from New York, northeast quarter of Section 16: Michael Shuey, from Pennsylvania, southeast quarter of Section 6 ; Adam Shafer, from Pennsylvania, southwest quarter of Section 6 ; Christian Aungst, from Virginia, northeast quarter of Section 8 : Benjamin Potts, from Vermont, southwest quarter of Section 7 ; Chancy D. Wright. wheelwright, in Bellville ; John Weaver, from Virginia, northeast quarter of Section 18; B. F. Thrailkill, from Maryland, northeast quarter of Section 28 ; Caleb Selby, southeast quarter of Section 19 ; Gideon Cornwall, from Virginia, northwest quarter of Section 15; Amos Hartly, from Maryland, northwest quarter of Section 31 ; Peter Boham; southwest quarter of Section 20; John McDowel, northeast quarter of Section 21 ; William Mahagan, from Maryland. southwest quarter of Section 31 ; Peter Strine ; Samuel Devo, northeast quarter of Section 31 ; Thomas Durbin. from Virginia, southeast quarter of Section 9: Scott Durbin, from Virginia, southeast quarter of Section 9 ; William Price. northeast quarter of Section 16; John Fordney ; Philip Merring, from New York, southwest quarter of Section 4 ; Phineas Merring (wheelwright), from New Jersey, southwest quarter of Section 4 ; Timothy Evarts, from Vermont, southeast quarter of

428 - HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

Section 22: Geo. Aungst. from Virginia. southeast quarter of Section 15; John Fowler, southwest quarter of Section 14: John Boham, northeast quarter of Section 20: Robert Bell. Sr., and Robert Bell. Jr.. from New Jersey. northeast quarter of Section 9; Zephaniah Bell. northwest quarter of Section 4 : John Study, from Pennsylvania, southwest quarter of Section 25 ; John Watson. southeast quarter of Section 7: Joseph Hix, from Pennsylvania, northeast quarter of Section 25: Henry Swank, from Pennsylvania, northwest quarter of Section 34 James Selby, southeast quarter of Section 19 ; Jacob Stout, from Pennsylvania, northwest quarter of Section 7: Jonathan Oldfield, came to township in 1808, from New York. northeast quarter of Section 22 ; William Oldfield, carne in 1810, from New York southeast quarter of Section 16: Sarnuel Oldfield. carne in 1810 from New York, northeast quarter of Section 16; John Weiriek. came in 1809, from Maryland, northwest quarter of Section 17 ; Peter Weiriek. came in 1809, from Maryland. southwest quarter of Section 8 : John Zent. Sr., came in 1810, from Pennsylvania. northwest quarter of Section 9: John Zent. Jr., came in 1810, from Pennsylvania, southwest quarter of Section 7: Duncan Spear, came in 1810, from Vermont, southwest quarter of Section 15: William Spear. came in 1810, shoemaker in Bellville: Abraham Smith, in 1810, from Vermont, northwest, quarter of Section 22: John Leedy, came in 1811, from Pennsylvania, northwest quarter of Section 35.

The male adults residing in the present limits of the township previous to the war of 1812, were James McCluer, Samuel McCluer and the above eleven whose names have dates of settlement. Jefferson being on the frontier, with good soil and water, and on the principal thoroughfare through the county, held a large, share of the heavy wave of immigration which came immediately after the war of 1812; and for many years it had a larger population than any other township in the county. In 1826, there were but forte acres of public land, which was entered by George Nicewanger, whose patent bears the date of 1533.

The first road in the township established be State aid, is the State road running from Mount Vernon to Mansfield, along the central section line. It was opened to the boundary line as early as 1810, and through the township in 1812.

The survey of the "new purchase" was completed and the land offered in market in January, 1808: and soon after, James McCluer, a Virginian, and Jonathan Oldfield and Thomas McCluer. two young men in his employ, came from Pickaway County and opened a road from Fredericktown, in Knox County to the present site of Bellville. which he chose as a location and while he picked his way to Canton to enter it, the northeast quarter of Section 9, the two of young men commenced the improvement. The entry was made in March 1808. They remained a part of the year, clearing a parcel of ground and erecting a cabin. and then returned to Pickaway County again. The nest year. Mr. McCluer moved his family. This was the first cabin built in the southern part of the county with its present limits, and the second built in the counts. It stood on what is now a part of D. Zent's garden lot, a few feet northwest of the scale-house connected with Alexander R Zent's grain elevator, in Bellville. The block-louse stood south of the railroad station, a few feet from the railroad, and was erected soon after the Greentown massacre in 1812. The settlers along the Clear Fork gathered there for defense against hostile Indians, but underwent no attack. The Indians had camps in various parts of the township, and associated freely with the first settlers in a business way: and in 1818, they bid final farewell to their hunting-grounds and generous white friends who treated them as human, amidst mans' tears and thanks.

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The election list above, and the following pioneers residing in the township in 1869, who were in the count prior to 1820, will give a good knowledge in reference to the first settlers of the township

* Now dead (1879)

t Born in the County.

Bellville is the only town in Jefferson Township. and is located on the northeast quarter of Section 9 and adjoining sections. The first building within the present incorporated limits was the first in the township, erected in 1808 About 1814. Robert Bell Sr., came from Belmont County, Ohio, and purchased the quarter section of James McCluer, and in 1855, he laid out the first plat of the town, which consisted of forty-eight lots, embracing the land between Main and Huron streets, bounded on the north by Ogle street and on the south by the first alley north of Durbin street. Enoch Ogle purchased Lot No. 1, east of the Clifton House, and thereon erected a building and opened a tavern the first in the township. These two-the block- house and a dwelling-house at the foot of Snake Hill (Bellville Cemetery) were the only buildings in the village for several years. Richard Crawford set up a blacksmith-shop on Lot No. 5, in an early day. Joseph Carter brought the, first dry goods to the place from Uniontown, now Ashland, and occupied a small room in Ogle's tavern. Joseph Hildreth.

430 - HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

succeeded him, and he by Wm. Thrift, who built a house on the lot where the Globe House now stands, to accommodate his business,.January 22, 1824, a post office was established, and Isaac Hoy was appointed Postmaster; and the mail matter was carried from and to Mount Vernon and Mansfield by John Bell and Samuel Miller, until 1826, when a line of stages was put on the road that continued to the day of railroads. Previous to the year 1824. the citizens of Jefferson Township received their mail at Mansfield, and each letter cost the receiver 25 cents paid on lifting it. Dr. A. I. Beach succeeded Mr. Hoy. and under him the spelling of Bellville was changed to Belleville using the word belle instead of the proper name of its founder -Bell. The latter form was in use till 1872, when, after some discussion in the local paper, the Department by an order, fixed it as Bellville the original name. About the time that the post office was received, John Moody, one of the best men that Bellville ever contained. opened a store, and the usual trades and avocations common to a village were well represented. In 1835. there were three stores in the place, each of which served the purpose of a dry-goods, grocery, provision. hardware and hat store, saving nothing of clothing, notions, drugs and medicines. From this time, Bellville was one of the most enterprising towns in Central Ohio, until Mansfield received a railroad and the patronage of a large constituency drawn thither to pay taxes. Even this exercised no material check to the Clear Fork village and, up to the time the railroad was built to it and for years after, it ranked as one of the foremost trading-points in the county. An act incorporating the village was passed by the Legislature, March 25, 1841, and April 1, following, the first municipal election was held. which resulted in choosing the following persons to office Mayor, James C. Lee; Clerk. John M. Smith; Trustees or Council. Benjamin Jackson, James Walsh, Samuel Cutting, T. V. Park, Otis Howard: A. I. Beach acted as Treasurer. The first schoolhouse was erected on ground which Dr. B. Ridenour's residence now occupies, at the southwest corner of the public square. The present school building was erected in 1867, on ground purchased of Elias Smith in May, 1856, at a cost of $325. The lot contains four acres. The building is 70x40, has four schoolrooms on the first floor and two in the second; 200 perch of stone and 150,000 brick, were used in its construction. Levi H. Strong was the contractor and received $4.300 for the work. The first school commenced in it November 30, 1857. It was taught by A. Gerhart. The town hall was built in 1877-78 and cost about $6,000. In the winter of 1877, the Town Council agitated the question of building a jail. A plan of combining a town hall, jail and township house was finally conceived and a petition was sent to the Legislature for this authority; subject to the vote of the township. A bill passed the General Assembly and at an election; at which the rural and town population contended fiercely, the affirmative carried. The band stand was erected in July and August, and dedicated September 11, 1879, The population of the village in 1870, was over seven hundred, and in 1879 over eleven hundred.

In 1843-44, when it became certain that Richland County would be divided. the leading citizens of Bellville petitioned largely for the erection of a county out of the southern part of Richland and the northern part of Knox, making Bellville the county seat; it is needless to say without success. The first fair in the county was held in Bellville in 1850. The next year, it was held in Mansfield. agreeable to an understanding between interested parties in both places: and the succeeding one was to have been held in Bellville, but it remained in Mansfield. In 1860, another agricultural society was organized,.and three very successful fairs were held, but it went down under the pressure of the rebellion.

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The Rainbow and Repository was the first newspaper published in Bellville. Its publication was commenced in Fredericktown and in 1849, was removed to Bellville. It was a five column folio, and was published by A. Lauback, at $1 per year. It existed only a few months.

The first number of the Bellville Weekly was issued February 28, 1872 bearing the name of Bellville Dollar Weekly, and was printed on a Ramage press, half platen, with a wooden frame. In one and a half years from its commencement, it was enlarged from a six to a seven column folio received its present name and its subscription price was advanced to $1.25. J. C. Potts and Thomas Falls were its proprietors, which relation, with a few intervals, has continued to this time.

The Richland Star was started by the Garber Bros., who purchased a small press in the fall of 1875, and commenced to print cards at their country home, five miles south of Bellville. During 1876, they issued a small monthly, a little larger than two hands. It was continued in 1877 and in September, 1877, moved to Bellville : and Saturday, October 6. the first number of The Star was published. The work was commenced without a single subscriber, and when the matter for the first number was about half in type, B. L. Garber and Aaron A. Leedy voluntarily headed the subscription list and soon a large circulation was obtained, it is a five-column quarto, and published every Thursday morning.

The Exchange Bank was organized June 18, 1872, with Frederick Fitting. It. Alexander and John and David Zent as stockholders. At the end of eleven months. Mr. Fitting retired and a reorganization took place, but no change was made in the officers. H. Alexander is President and David Zent, Cashier. It commenced with a capital stock of $12,000, with a deposit of from $12,000 to $15.000. The safe weighs 8,800 pounds. and cost $1,400.

Bangor is a small cluster of houses, located on the southwest quarter of Section 30. Several families of Yankees from the vicinity of Bangor, Me., settled there, from which the place derived the name. William Moore built a foundry there in 1847, and for two years did a flourishing business in the manufacture of thrashing machines, plows, stoves, and in custom work and casting mill gearing. It was burnt down in 1850 by an incendiary, it is believed and this took away the life of the village. In 1850, Abraham Farguhar opened a sort of dry-goods store, remaining a short time. At this date, the place contains no industry other than a few ordinary shops.

The first school in the township was taught by Samuel McCluer, in his own cabin, during the winter of 1816-17. and in the same building by William Spears the following winter. The first schoolhouse was built on the southwest quarter of Section 15, near where the Honey Creek House now stands, in 1818, and Timothy Evarts taught the first term of school in it, supported by country subscription at the rate of $1.50 per pupil for a term of three months, payable in any kind of provisions, clothing or work. This house was of primitive log-cabin style, 16x18 feet: one end contained the fireplace, the other tile door: a log was taken out of each side for windows and greased paper pasted over the opening to keep out cold and admit light: the floor, seats and writing tables were of the inevitable "puncheon," and although the house was romantic, the school was well patronized and a success. Young men rode five and six miles, bringing the noon feed for their horses with them to have the young idea taught how to shoot. A similar schoolhouse was built on the southeast quarter of Section 35 soon after to which children from Knox as well as from Richland County went for learning.

The propagation of religion commences with almost the first settlements of the township. The Dutch, who settled west of Bellville, were

432 - HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

usually communicants of some one of the Lutheran societies ; and the first church in Jefferson Township, before it was reduced to its present limits, was built by two branches of this church about 1825. As early as 1814-15, Charles Waddle and James Smith, Methodists, came to Bellville and organized a church. The Revs. Gowell, Ashley and Marvin, of the Disciples came a few years later.

The Methodist Episcopal Church in Bellville, was organized by Rev. Charles Waddle, William Oldfield, father of Jonathan and Richard Oldfield, who was the oldest member of the first society, and his two sons. Samuel and Jonathan, and Robert Bell. were the most efficient workers of the infant church. The first house of worship was built on the site of the present one, by Lewis Potts. in 1835; its dimensions were 30x40 feet: and his statement of account ran something like this: "To getting out timber, framing, putting on shingles and making frames and ten windows. $90.11." The house was furnished in 1836 and used for services about eighteen years. This was the first church erected in the Jefferson Township of 1880. In April, 1854, the building committee was authorized to sell the old house, and in the same month a resolution was passed to build a new house 40x55. 16-feet story, in the clear; with a lobby of 9 feet. In May, Judge Jackson proposed to build the house for $1,660 and his offer was accepted. The new house was completed in October, 1855. Rev. W. T. Lewis was Pastor of the church in 1879-80. The contributions for all purposes amount to $650 a year. It is not known when the first Sabbath school was organized, but was probably about 1845. M. L. Bonar was Superintendent in 1879, and the membership was 249 ; contributions $67. The church membership, March 1880, was about one hundred and forty.

The persons mentioned above first proclaimed the tenets of the Disciple denomination and John Moody embraced the doctrine and became the effective power of the first organization. Mr. Moody entered the ministry, and for some time preached in private houses. In 1830, he built a mill in Bellville, and, in that early day, the demand for breadstuffs kept the mills running almost night and day, week-days and Sundays. On the sacred day, he would preach in his mill to those hungering for the bread of eternal life, while his mill ground wheat to sustain the natural life. He built a church where the grain elevator now stands, in Bellville, which remained there till 1850, when it was moved some distance south, to accommodate the railroad. In July, 1864, the church purchased a half-interest in the church erected by the Cumberland Presbyterians in 1855, and the remainder in 1871. The membership, March, 1880, was forty-one. A Bible school was held in the old church house, and a Sabbath school proper was organized in 1865. with T. M, Y Yearian as Superintendent. J. W. Kelly was Superintendent in 1879, and the school numbered sixty pupils.

The first appearance of a society for the dissemination of the Universalists' faith was at Lexington. in the house of Amariah Watson, September 10, 1822, under the appellation of the General Convention of Universalists of the State of Ohio. A little later, a society was formed under the name of the Richland Association of Universalists, and a meeting was held in Fredericktown, Ohio, August 28, 1822. At a meeting of the Association held in Mount Vernon in September, 1846, Samuel Cutting and Richard Oldfield applied for admittance, and in 1847, the society met at Bellville, when the church of the place numbered sixteen. It was organized by George R. Brown, and Truman Strong and P. A. Smead, who were the first subsequent ministers. Samuel Cutting, Silos Cross, Richard Oldfield, Joseph Ford and John Merril were the principal members. A house of worship was erected in Bellville in 1850, and dedicated in March, 1851, by Rev.

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Dolittle. The constitution used by the first society was not recorded as the rules of the church required. and, in 1854, a few members drafted a new constitution. and had it recorded unknown to the majority of the old members. This annulled their right of membership, and only a few ever subscribed to the new constitution, which greatly impaired the prosperity of the church. The present membership is about eighty. The Sabbath school was organized in 1846. by Rev. Smead ; Samuel Cutting was its Superintendent.

At a meeting of the Presbytery at Fredericktown, Ohio, April 18, 1838, application was made by citizens of Bellville, to form a Presbyterian Church, and James Rowland was appointed to exercise authority at discretion. A church was organized, in the month of May, 1838. Those known to be among the original members were Enoch French, Matthew Geary, John Lafferty, Andrew Linn, Philip Traxler and their companions. Messrs. French and Geary were ordained Ruling Elders. and Rev. Robinson was their minister. The church flourished several years. and from 1842 till 1844. Thomas Smith preached regularly. About this time, several of the leading members passed away. and other ones moved away, which weakened the flock so much that it passed under a cloud in 1845 ; its name disappeared from the roll-book, and a blank was made in its history. In 1851, the matter came before the Presbytery; at Mount Vernon. and from that date appeared to have new life. In 1853-54 a house of worship was built, which has been occupied since. Rev. W. W. Anderson assumed the duties of the charge, January 7, 1877, and is still the Pastor. The membership February, 1880, was 110; contributions for home purposes $800 ; missionary. $50 : membership of the Sabbath school, 125 contributions. $45.

In 1866, Elders Van Horn and Laurence. of the Seventh-Day Adventists, pitched a tent on the public square, in Bellville, and commenced to preach the views of this denomination. The tent was taken away in August, and further meetings were held in the Universalist Church and in private houses. An organization was effected December 20, 1866. A house of worship was built in 1867, and the first services were held in it January 29, 1868. There were fifteen persons in the first society. Membership, February, 1880, was thirty-three. A Sabbath school was organized when the church was, and its number of pupils, at this time, is forty-five.

The Salem Lutheran Church is located two and a half miles west of Bellville. The first preaching in the locality that was fruitful toward establishing a church was done in private houses, by Solomon Ritz, Adam Shafer, a wealthy farmer of the locality, and earnest in spiritual matters, formed a sort of standard, around which the nucleus of the present church gathered. Rev. Ritz organized the first society, and in 1838, a house of worship was built, near where the present one stands. A few of the original members were Adam Shafer, Joseph Border, Jacob Beckley, Samuel Hoff, Christian Craymer, Jacob Shafer, Christian Russel, James Selby and their wives. Revs. Lane and G. Liter held the first protracted meeting in the new house. which resulted in a large number of accessions. The German Reformed Society assisted in building the house. and also worshiped in it. Some trouble developed between the two parties in regard to the use of the house. and in 1860 the Lutherans built a brick structure, on ground outside of the lot donated for church purposes. Rev. G. M. Heindel was Pastor, in 1879-80. The membership. March, 1880 was eighty; contributions, for all perposes, $450. The Sabbath school was organized in May 1846.

The Pleasant Hill United Brethren Church is located on the southeast corner of Section 18. This church was organized by Jacob George in 1843 or 1844. James Niman, a

434 - HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

member and minister of this denomination. came from Pennsylvania in 1837, and settled ill tile neighborhood of the church. and he has since been one of the most faithful. The early meetings were held in his and other houses for a number of years after the first society was organized. The house was built, probably, in 1855 or 1856. The society is weak at this date (1880). and regular services are not held.

The Mt. Carmel Evangelical Church is located on land donated for the purpose by John F. Kauga. a part of the southwest quarter of Section 26. The first Evangelical meetings were held in a schoolhouse. The church was erected in 1864 at a cost of $1,200, about half of which was paid by Mr. Kanga. The membership is thirty-nine, and Mr. Meissee is Pastor. The Sabbath school was commenced in 1865. with J. F, Kanaga as Superintendent. Joseph Kanaga filled the office in 1879, and the about sixty.

Bellville Lodge No. 306. I. O. O. F. was organized by Charles B. Stickney. The charter was granted June 20, 1856. The charter members were H. Alexander, William Walker. S. W. Eels. James Oaks, Miles Moore, George M. Simpson, Abraham R. Kanaga. W. P. Crain and Charles Crain. Membership, January 1880, seventy-two.

October 17. 1866, Thomas Sparrow, Grand Master of Masons in Ohio. issued a dispensation to Joseph Hildreth. A. I. Beach, William H. Elston, Solomon Wagener, A. J. Markey, John McCune, William Lyne. William Menzie and Andrew Gerhart. to congregate themselves into a lodge of Masons. and appointed the following officers : Joseph Hildreth, W. Master ; William Lyne. S. Warden : A. I. Beach. J. Warden.

On October 17, 1867. the society was chartered and named Bellville Lodge, No. 376, Free and Accepted Masons.

The Jefferson Grange, No. 251, of the Patrons of Husbandry, was organized at the Honey Creek Schoolhouse, about one mile south of Bellville. December 9, 1873, and received its charter March 24, 1874. The charter members were Aaron A. Leedy, John Garber, Samuel Shaffer, Benton Garber, Abner Oldtield, Theodore Garher, James Lee, John Garber, Amos Fry, Lewis Garber, Simon Young, Samuel K. Garber, Lewis Young, J. W. Howard, Jehu Durbin and four teen females. Regular meetings were first held in a building rented of George Aungst. After Jefferson Hall was completed. they moved from the Odd Fellows' Hall, which they occupied some months previous to the room in the third story of the new building, designed for tile pug pose. The society has wended its way against fierce opposition, is prosperous and numbers among its members some of the most successful farmers and best citizens of the township.

A. M. Collins organized the Bellville Division of the Sons of Temperance. 146. Its charter was issued July 22, 1874. There were twenty-four charter members. The males were J. W. Kelly, Thomas Faus, H. Faus, H. Kinton, W. C. Hamilton, W. T. Cole, W. Porter, E. Marshall, H. Howard, A H. Potts and C. Brown. The society held regular meetings in 1879.

The Patron's Mutual Relief Association maybe regarded as an outgrowth of the co-operative principles studied by the Patrons of Husbandry. The matter of establishing a mutual insurance society was agitated in the County Council of the order. A constitution was drafted, and an election of officers held February 24, 1876, at Mansfield, resulting as follows: Aaron A. Leedy, President; Jehu Garber, Secretary; W. H. Shoup, Treasurer, and Levi Ross, H. S, Mosier and Amos Fry, Surveyors. In March 1877, a bill to incorporate associations for tile mutual protection of its members against loss by fire, passed the General Assembly of Ohio, and, June 16, 1877, the body re-organized, adopted a new constitution and was incorporated. The business office was fixed at Bellville, and the new officers were: R. M. Coulter,

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President; Jehu Garber, Secretary, Aaron A, Leedy, Treasurer, and Thos. Poland, R. W. Haslette and Simon Tucker; Directors, Valuation of property insured March, 1880; over $600.000.

The first orchards in the township were transplanted from Johnny Appleseed's nurseries by Jonathan Oldfield, George Aungst and Scott Durbin. A few of the trees in these orchards are living.

John Leedy set up the first distillery in 1812, at his home, near the center of Section 35. The first year, and for a time thereafter, the whisky sold for $1 per gallon. Distilleries soon became plenty, and, at one time there were five in the township, and whisky sold for 20 cents a gallon. The last one suspended operations in 1862.

The first birth in the township was that of Mary McCluer, Jonathan Oldfield and Elizabeth McCluer were married by Esquire Coffenbury February 11, 1812, probably the first in the county. Mr. Coffinbury had no form of ceremony, and, to meet the emergency, he sent to a friend in the region of Wheeling, Va., for one. The first deaths were those of Ludwic Strong and Stephen Dodge. Mr. Strong died in 1815, and was buried at the west side of the Frederick road, in a field belonging to Hezekiah Armstrong. He was visiting his brother, Charles Strong, at the time. The latter was the first person buried in the Bellville cemetery. Ibis grave is lost.

Old settlers say the Clear Fork was three and four times as large (so much more water), when they first knew it, as it is at present. The mills on this stream in the Jefferson Township of 1815. were Shauck's, built in 1830 ; Phillips' built in 1833 ; Ebyo Perry, built in 1837; Herron, built in 1812 ; Zent, built in 1813 ; Stumps built in -- ; Moody, built in 1831 ; Johnston, built in 1828; and Greenwood, in 1833. A Mr. Cornell built a mill on Honey Creek, a short distance east of the State road in 1821, but it went clown in a short time.

In the summer of 1808, a furious tornado swept diagonally across Jefferson Township. It entered near the northwest, and passed out near the southeast, corner, almost stripping the hills of timber. On the land now owned by R.Evarts (part of Section 16), there is a space of about thirty acres on which there was not a tree left standing. Its width was about one-fourth of a mile, and its track can yet be traced through the township. The timber which formerly stood on the ground now covered with a beautiful growth of young chestnut, owned by Jacob Burkholder and Casper Swank, was destroyed by this storm. L. K. Leedy remembers when he was taller than this timber. This was. undoubtedly, the severest tornado that ever visited the county. The only white persons in Jefferson Township at that time were the two young men who bad just finished the first log cabin.

In the fall of 1812, Jonathan Oldfield and his young brother Richard, set a trap at a hollow of a tree, where they deposited the remains of a deer, which they presumed a wolf had killed the previous night. They did this in the evening, and early the nest morning Jonathan took his gun. and Richard followed after, carrying the bridles to catch the horses. When they arrived at the tree the trap was gone but, the hook-like, device attached made a trail, which they followed. After going a short distance, they heard a cry as the cry of a chill. They walked a short distance further, and, just in front of them in the dim light, of the morning, the face of a huge bear appeared above the brush. and nettles. Jonathan instantly took aim and fired ; the ball penetrated the bear's nostril. entered the brain, and she fell dead. A cub was in the trap, and the grapnel had fastened on a root and it could not getaway. Two more cubs were upon trees and were shot; the captive was taken home alive. The mother thought her young one in the trap was sick, and she had gathered a great pile of leaves about it.

436 - HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

The pain the trap gave it caused it to make the pitiful cries.

John Robinson came to the township at an early day, and settled about a mile cast of Bellville. Late one fall, when he and his sons were digging potatoes about the dusk of evening, the boys heard a hog squealing in the high nettles below his house. No attention was given to this, but the hog squealed again. Mr. Robinson started for his gun ; it was empty, and he had one bullet which had the neck on. This was soon put in the gun, and as he started a young boy at the house told his father that he saw a man with a black coat carrying a hog away. Mr. Robinson was soon near the bear and it scented him and raised upright, standing on its prey, when it received the rifle ball. The knife was used to dispatch him. The hog the bear had belonged to George Yearian, of Bellville, and the bear had eaten the flesh from along one side of its backbone from its shoulder to the hips. Mr. Yearian dressed the wound with tar, and it lived and raised a litter of pigs. It died the next summer. The bear was seven feet long.

On the fourth of July, 1815, John Leedy went to Fredericktown to participate in a celebration. His family remained at home; and about noon the old pig announced the usual alarm. Mrs. Leedv seized the old rifle, and her eldest son Lewis. the ax. and at once marched to the field of battle. a few hundred yards from the cabin. The dog, Old Sign, accompanied them, and when within a few rods of the spot; her restraint gave way to her eagerness for fight and she bounded at the bear. Bruin left without ceremony. with Old Sign at his side. Mrs. Leedy brought the old flint-lock in line and sent a bullet after him, but she was not familiar with shooting on the wing, and the race went on. A few days after, the pig gave the alarm again and this time Mr. Leedy took down the gun and when he arrived near the fight, the bear stood upright on the pig and eyed his enemy some time, apparently in a study whether to contest the ownership of the property in his possession or not. He swung his big fists back and forth a few times, but uttered not a word. Mr. Leedy knew the enemy ; he lead seen him before. He was the "old one," a chief among bears. The gun was fired: the bear leaped in the air, fell on his prey, howled, sprang forward toward his assailant, and, after hesitating a moment, moved off. It was followed, but darkness ended the chase. The bear was wounded near the heart and bled freely, yet lie lived. The nest fall or winter he came in contact with William Simmons, who then lived where Independence now is, and, after receiving two balls from his rifle. He invited Mr. Simmons to a rough and tumble fight, which equaled some of Davy Crockett's best. Seven-some say, eleven balls were taken from his carcass a number of which were returned to their owners. Mr. Leedy received the ball he shot.

Rachel Gatton went to Mansfield one time with a web of linen to trade it for kitchen utensils. She went on horseback and alone, her steed being a rapid traveler. After doing her business, she started home and when about half-way she discovered that a pack of wolves were pursuing her. She made the best of the time, but the ravenous creatures came up with her finally. The brutes jumped at the horse and bit him in the side, which made him kick, plunge and stamp but he kept faithfully on his course, and his rider clung to his back for life. They finally arrived at the cabin, where all were eagerly awaiting her return, and the beasts were driven off.

L. B. Leedy and two of his brothers went on a coon hunt one night, and when a short distance from home, the dogs announced that game was brought to bay. The three hastened to where the dogs were, and, in coming near, they saw a white object, which, in the extreme darkness of the night, they were unable to name. The dogs ceased barking and snuffed

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the air, not daring to venture an attack. The object appeared stone still and like a naked child to the hunters. Lewis, being full of pioneer bravery, ventured up to it, and still it appeared to be a nude child. He grasped the object. and, as he felt its long wool, his fright can better be imagined than described. The ghost proved to be a let lamb that had wandered away from home. and when the dogs came about it sat up, as a child.

Samuel Bushong came from Pennsylvania in 1837, amt purchased land-thirty-five acres of Section 26. He paid $400 down, and secured the remaining $400 by giving a mortgage. He failed to meet the obligation and in the summer of 1840, a judgement was obtained against him and the Sheriff advertised the homestead for sale. Mr. Bushong had made diligent efforts among his friends to procure money and have the property saved, but without success. On the 3d of October 1840, he attended the election at Bellville and no one noticed any peculiarity of conduct on his part.

Very early the next morning, the news spread through the neighborhood that Bushong had murdered his family, consisting of his wife and four children, the oldest, Mary, aged twenty-two years, the youngest. Susan, aged fifteen and two sons. The neighbors scent gathered, and found Mrs Bushong lying on the hearth, before the fire, where she had been sitting in a chair, browning coffee in a skillet with her head literally mashed by an ax and a portion of her blood and brains were mingled with the coffee. The two girls were found in a room up-stairs. Mary had received a heavy blow with the poll of the ax on the front of her head, which glanced and left the skull unbroken. Susan was struck with the edge of the ax making a deep wound the full length of the bit, one end of which was above the left eye and the other end below the right eye. Both were alive and in great agony. The sons were sleeping in a room adjoining that in which the girls were and were partially awakened by the disturbance. The moon was shining through the window and they soon observed the deadly ax descending toward the head of the younger brother who lay- next the wall.

He dodged; and both brothers caught the ax-handle and held to it and were dragged out of bed on the floor, where a life-and-death struggle ensued between the sons and the father. They proved his superior in the fight, and finally wrenched the ax from his murderous hands. The oldest boy was severely wounded in the arm and the younger was hit with th poll on the head. The murderer then seized his razor and renewed the attack ; but the weapon was taken from him and cast away. Thereupon he started for the woods near by, and was soon after captured by the neighbors. The scene in the house was most ghastly and the murderer was carried through the house and compelled to view his horrible doings. His wife was lying in a pool of blood, mingled with her brains, and the daughters lay upon their bed, in the greatest agony.

Excitement ran high. Some said, "Kill him, and throw his body on the pile." Others said, "Hang him," and for a time it seemed that the man would be lynched ; but a few negative words by Dr. Eels and a few other dispassionate persons calmed their vengeance. He was roughly handled and uncomfortably tied on his horse and escorted toward Bellville by twenty or more men. They were met about one mile from town by the Constable, R. Evarts, who unbound him and walked with him to town.

The preliminary trial was held before Esquire Heath, which ended by noon and preparations were made to send him to jail. Bushong remonstrated against being tied, and pledged his honor and life that he would go quietly and civilly to jail, which was accepted, and the two started on their way, arm in arm, in a single buggy and Horace Baker and Hugh Oldfield

438 - HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

followed behind, as a precaution against his escape.

On the way to Mansfield, in answer to questions, he said he had been so troubled about his affairs that he did not sleep much for several weeks, and not any the last three nights. He said last night he and his wife talked about matters until after midnight he could sell out and pay the debt, but his wife would not sign the deed, and said she would never leave the place. Mary had caused him some trouble also.

He further said he had invested all his money in that place and now could not make the payments, and in a few days their home would be sold and they would be turned out as beggars "we had better all be dead," he exclaimed. The day of the murder he intended to go to Mansfield, and he and his wife got up early, to make ready. The Constable inquired whether he remembered all the transaction, to which he answered, "It seems like a dream-something I did while asleep."

About one mile south of Mansfield there is a deep depression near the road. which contained a dense thicket at that time. Here the prisoner made an effort to extricate his arm from the arm of the Constable and escape. The officer said to him, " It is your honor or your life. If you attempt to leave this buggy. I will kill you." He remained quiet, but moaned; as if in great distress.

His trial opened in the Common Pleas Court July 10, 1841; and lasted six days. Judge Parker residing. Brinkerhoff and Stewart were Prosecuting Attorneys, and Bartley and Delano conducted the defense. The jurymen were Jonas Stought, James Drennan, Pascal Whiting, John McCool, George Bull, Uriah Johnston, John Harman, William Cadwell, Jacob Stinneman, Jonas Gerhart, David Robinson and William Boggs. The witnesses were numerous. There were several old acquaintances and relatives of his from Pennsylvania, and physicians who had made insanity a study, present. The physicians testified that they bad before them a well defined case of monomania. Insanity being the only issue, the pleas and the charge to the jury were short and inside of twelve hours a verdict was returned of "Not guilty."

Amos Hartly entered the southwest quar ter of Section 31 in an early day. He was of rather an impatient turn of wind. One summer. the weather was very showery, and to cure him was next to impossible. He employed labor to mow several acres of grass for him, which he, turned several times and had it about ready to draw to the barn or stack when a rain storm would soak it again.

The next day the turning was repeated. the wagon was brought to the field. a thunder-shower was on hand. and Mr. Hartly, seeing that he would again be caught, lifted the wagon hammer from the tongue, threw it heavenward and ran to the house, got fire and burned the hay. Mr. Hartly's mother and first wife committed suicide on the farm he owned.

The Ebersoles came to Knox County at a very early day and settled near Fredericktown. There were six or eight children in the family and were possessed of peculiar ways. The father was very wealthy. Catharine, the hermitess received, as a part of her inheritance, over two hundred acres of land in Jefferson Township, the greater part of the south half of Section 32. She caused a house to be built on it and about 1840, she moved to it. For a number of years she lived somewhat after the manner of people in general; but as she grew older, the more abject she rendered her own condition. until her hovel became an object of curiosity and her doings the gossip of the community. The frame house she had built was located near the road, which made it too public for her love of seclusion ; and while she yet occupied it, pigs out on the commons occasionally passed along the road, and she told her

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friends that the brutes would partly climb the fence and squeal for the food she was cooking for herself. Finally, she decided to be further from the road, and went to work to gather stone for a foundation of the house she proposed to build. She put tip the walls with her own hands and when they were finished, a carpenter was employed to erect an ancient log cabin. The chimney she put in herself. She owned no furniture except an old chest, in which she kept a few bedclothes, which her mother probably assisted her to make. The cooking was clone in a fireplace of her own build, and the bread she ate was baked in an oven of her own make. During the early, part of her hermitical life she subsisted on food prepared in ordinary ways, and when she agreed to board persons whom she employed. her table was as well furnished as that of her neighbors ; but in the decline of life, she gave way to the most barbarous methods of providing food. The grain which tenants raised on her farm was usually sold. and she would go over the field after the crop was gathered and pick up what was needed to satisfy her wants. One of her neighbors visited her once, early in the spring, and she was found gathering "greens," the only article of diet in tier possession. and she allowed " it didn't make bad eatin' either." Mr. C. went to her house one time. when the weather was inclement. She was busy mashing wheat between two stones. Corn was ground in a similar way. A large hearth was connected with the fire-place and when she wished to sleep. one corner was swept clean. and she would lie clown upon the floor, with tier feet toward the fire; a stone served the purpose of a pillow and boards were used as comfortables and quilts. not for the ostensible purpose of keeping the cold away but as a shield against wind and rain. She had no bed, and her few bedclothes were devoted to the better purpose of keeping the hay dry in the barn and in the curing piles in the field. In the summer, she usually went to will herself, carrying half a bushel of grain on her shoulder. In the winter, when the ground was covered with snow, a hand-sled was brought into requisition. Her cabin finally fell into decay; she occupied it many years after the roof was so wretched that there was only one spot under it that she could keep dry when it rained.

It would be doing injustice to the memory of this peculiar woman not to add that she was not of the mean, miserly nature which grasps for possessions, without any respect to the rights of property, justice and morality ; but, on the contrary, she exercised the most delicate discernment of justice as she understood it; was conscientious to the last, and scrupulously honorable in all her business relations. As an example of her nice regard of equity, this will answer: Her fire went out in the old chimney, and the house was destitute of matches ; she went to a neighbor to get fire ; she carried an armful of wood to pay for it from her own place. It is not known that she loved more than one person, and her father spurned his presence on account of an expression that he carelessly made when his associates were jesting him about "his girl." He brought an apple from the orchard, and the boys accused him of getting the apple on purpose to see "Katy." He replied that he did not care so much for "Katy " as for her property. In speaking of herself, she always used the plural pronoun, "We are well ; we have plenty to eat." and like expressions. She was robbed, in 1865 of over $200. A person was arrested and tried, but he was discharged. No clew was ever obtained of the guilty party. She died at the residence of a brother, near Fredericktown, a few years ago. Several years previous, she went blind, which necessitated her being taken from the home in the woods before her departure to the final rest.

George William Kincaid, a soldier of 1812, resides with his son-in-law, on a lot of the northwest corner of Section 29. He is the

440 - HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

only soldier of the war of 1812 living in the township at this time, (March. 1880). His father 's name was John Kincaid ; he was a soldier of Lee's legion, in the Revolutionary war. George William was born in Philadelphia, June 23, 1790, and was twenty-one years old when he enlisted. His regiment was sent to Canada, where he took part in several of the most noted battles and remembers many incidents connected with the campaign. At the battle of Fort George, a Scotch Colonel, named McDonald, was taken prisoner, who had been shot in the knee. He pleaded piteously for his life, saying : "Don't kill me until I have time to save my soul!" The prisoner also said that his mother's predictions came true-that he would he brought home a cripple or dead. In the bombardment of Fort McHenry, the wife of Sergeant is Mr. Kincaid's regiment came to her husband, with a small bucket in her band. He accosted her in this language: "What in the name of God are you doing here ? " She answered: "If you die. I want to die with you. He took the bucket, which she had set down, and gave it to her and told her to leave. She set it down and in a few moments stooped to pick it up, when a shell struck her, severed her body above the hips, and cut off two limbs. Mr. Kincaid was one of the soldiers sent to reenforce the army engaged in the battle of Thames in Upper Canada, and arrived on the field as Tecumseh was killed. He declares that a ball shot by Col. Johnston's Sergeant, ended the career of the desperate chief, instead of Col. Johnston killing him. Mr. Kincaid remembers sitting on the knee of Gen. Washington. and of seeing Lady Washington get in and out her carriage. He came to Richland County in 1837. He was married to Anna Bond and is the father of fourteen children. He was wounded in the hand, while in the service, and is a pensioner.

William Galispie, interred in the Bellville cemetery, was a Major throughout the Revolutionary war. He was blind during the last thirteen years of his life and died February 17, 1841, aged one hundred and four years.

Samuel Poppelton Sr., was one of tile Green Mountain Boys, who fought with Col. Ethan Allen. He claimed the honor of having placed the American flag on the walls of Fort Ticonderoga, at its surrender, with his own hands, awl heard the historic words : By the authority of Great Jehovah mid the Continental Congress, uttered at that time, he being Color Sergeant. He died about 1842 in the ninty-ninth year of his age. He is buried south of Bellville. Frosts and storms have robbed his old sandstone of its inscription.

This history is particularly indebted to Mr. Reuben Evarts for this chapter. The official records of the township are all destroyed, of proceedings previous to 1850: what is inserted regarding early elections and officers was obtained from other sources.