268 - HISTORY OF ROSS AND HIGHLAND COUNTIES, OHIO
HARRISON.
Harrison township was erected as a separate township, by order of the county commissioners, December 9, 1812, as follows :
"Ordered, that a part of Jefferson township he erected into a separate township, beginning at the northeast corner of section number five, in township nine, range twenty; thence south along the east line of Springfield township to the southeast corner of section two, in township nine; thence east between the townships eight and nine, in range twenty, to the northeast corner of section two, in township eight and range twenty; thence south with the east line of said section, and to continue in the same direction until it strike the north line of Franklin township; thence eastwardly with the north line of Franklin and I,ick townships to the county line; thence north with said line to the southeast corner of Colerain township; thence west with the south line of Colerain township to the place of beginning. Said township to be kn )wn by the name of Harrison township. The place of holding elections to be the house of John Combers."
On March 15, 1816, it was ordered "That all that part of Harrison township which lies east of Jefferson township, and south of a west line drawn from the northwest corner of Jackson county be, and the same is hereby attached to Jefferson township."
SITUATION, SURFACE, ETC.
Harrison township is designated as town nine, in range twenty. It lies in the center of the eastern edge of Ross county. The drainage of the township is mostly to the southward. The Little Walnut, which takes its rise near the center of Colerain township, flows southward through the western sections of Harrison to the village of Mooresville.
Walnut creek proper also takes its rise in Colerain township. It enters Harrison about the center of the northern edge, and flows thence in a southwesterly direction to Mooresville, where it is joined by the Little Walnut, and thence it takes a little east of south till it reaches the limit of the township.
Towards the northeastern part of the township Piney run takes its rise, and after making a course due west, it enters Walnut creek, near the northwestern corner of section sixteen. Lick run is another tributary to Walnut creek. It has its source near the center of the township. Sugar run, still farther to the south, flows in a southwesterly direction, and passes out of the township, just before entering Walnut.
Poe's run rises in section fourteen, and flows due south, into the next township.
These streams are all fed by numerous springs, some of which are strong sulphur springs. One such spring is to he found on the land of James Albin.
The surface of Harrison township is very uneven, except along the bottom lands of the principal streams. East of Walnut creek, trending to the northeast and southwest, is a range of hills which might be called mountains. Between the Walnut and the Little Walnut creeks a range of hills rises to the northward, of the same
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nature. Nearly in the center of section eight is a knob, called Rattlesnake knob, which is five hundred feet above the valleys on either side. The hilly nature of the township made it, in early days, a great resort for wild beasts. These were so numerous and so fierce that the land was called by the Indians "Bad lands the habitation of bad spirits"—and it was considered unsafe to pass through them unarmed. Snakes—blacksnakes, racers, rattlesnakes—were very abundant and very large. Mr. Samuel Hanson once killed a racer which was sixteen feet long.
The hills of this township were favorite hunting grounds of those Indians and daring whites who roamed the wilderness before 1800. Wolves and wildcats, bears and panthers, foxes, deer, and wild turkey, could be started on short notice. Later, after the valleys were settled to some extent, and the wild game became less abundant, the densely-wooded hills and narrow-thicketed valleys became the resort of horse-thieves. Horses from the neighborhood could be so securely hidden as usually to baffle discovery. After a time they would be taken to the east, into Virginia, perhaps, and sold. On their return the thieves would steal other horses, and sell them to the settlers of the Scioto. This dishonest business was carried on quite extensively for many years.
The forests are very dense, and the timber very valuable. On the hills grow the oak, hickory, and maple; spruce and cedar, in small numbers; beech, ash, and many others. In the valleys are found the walnut, butternut, sycamore, elm, buckeye, willow, etc., etc. The earliest:houses were built of gum or pepperage—a timber from which Dr. Holmes' Deacon must have wrought his "wonderful one-boss shay." It "can't be split, nor bent, nor broke." These houses, also, like the "one-hoss shay, will last one hundred years to a day." At least, they are still standing, though removed from their original locations, and seem to be good for another score of years.
The township is covered with a heavy bed of clay, which lies on a bed of sand or gravel. Here and there, where the clay has been eroded, the sand appears as the surface. The bottom lands of the streams, and the more level of the uplands, are very fertile, and produce heavy crops. The hillsides are often too steep for cultivation. Yet, there is hardly a quarter-section in the whole township that is not cultivated to some extent.
The rocks which underlie the soil are sandstone and shale. The sandstone, though not fine enough in quality for the best architectural purposes, is yet of quality good enough for local uses, as foundations, etc. It has a good cleavage, as a general thing, but nodules of iron are met with frequently, and on exposure to the air and moisture the iron rusts and discolors the surrounding stone. The stone has enough iron in it to give it a reddish cast throughout. Of quarries, there are a dozen or more, but worked only to supply home needs.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
Probably the earliest permanent white settler was Benjamin Hanson. In 1798 he built a log cabin on a knoll in the western part of section twenty, within a few rods of the present school-house, in sub-district number two. It was built of gum trees. Some years ago it was removed to the eastward, into the valley, arid now stands against the road, the southern half of a double house.
In 1796 Mr. Samuel Hanson, the father of Benjamin Hanson, before mentioned, entered a section of land in the plains of Pickaway county. The land proved to be wet and heavy, and the climate sickly. In 1798, having sold his land to his brother, he moved to Liberty township, Ross county, near where the State dam in the Scioto river now is. Here he was nicely established, till a great flood carried off all his stock and damaged his crops. His stock consisted of six or seven horses, and as many cattle and sheep. It was with great difficulty that the family escaped to the high lands in canoes. We said all his stock was carried off. This is not strictly accurate, for, after the family were safe on high land, a sucking calf was found entangled in a loom. This calf was saved. Mr. Hanson, then, in 1800 moved to Harrison township and entered section twenty. He built a cabin a hundred rods to the north of his son Benjamin's cabin. This cabin was moved to the eastward across the road, where it still stands. Mr. Hanson was originally from Maryland. He moved to Kentucky when a young man. While on a visit to Virginia, he married a Miss Trimble, and returned with her to Kentucky. By her he had seven children—Benjamin, Elizabeth, Harriet, Mary, Samuel, Hollas and Sarah. The three boys, Benjamin, Samuel and Hollas, served in the war of 1812, from which Hollas returned a lieutenant. Mr. Hanson's wife having died, he married for his second wife Rebecca Waterman. By her he had ten children, viz. : John, James, Aquilla, Garrett, Harriet (second), Eliza, Amos, Greenberry, Rebecca and Maria. Of these, John and James were born in Kentucky, and the remainder in Ohio. Greenberry, born in 1814, now owns and lives on the land first settled by his father and brother. Samuel Hanson (the father) died February 14, 1835, at the age of eighty-three years.
Louis Graves, another early settler (1800), married Sarah Hanson. He was a soldier in 1812.
Robert Corken came from Ireland to America, selling himself to the ship's company for his passage. He worked for an old Quaker by the name of Mason, in Maryland, for a time, that is, until he obtained his freedom. He then married a daughter of Mr. Mason, and the two set out together, on horseback, for Ohio. 'They settled on the "high bank prairie" in 1798, and remained there two years. After the land sales they removed to Harrison township, near Mooresville. Mr. Corken lived there till old age, when he moved to Londonderry and died at the residence of his son-in-law, Mr. Jones. Mr. Corken assisted in taking the census of 1800, and was well known in the early settlement of Harrison.
Thomas Hanks was a settler in 1800, Joseph VanGundy in 18or, Stewart Little, John Emerich, James Carruthers, and Abner Ezra, came in 1804. In 18o5 a large number found a home in this wilderness. Among them were Robert Simpson, William Johnson, Andrew
270 - HISTORY OF ROSS AND HIGHLAND COUNTIES, OHIO.
Thompson, John Ortman, William Lockard, and James Robuck.
A little later (1806-8) came George Stanhope, "Larry" Russell, John' Russell, Philip Feirbaugh, Anthony Raypholtz. James Armsey and Joseph Moore came about 181o.
Quite a number of these early settlers served in the war of 1812, so many of them, indeed, that it was commonly reported that scarcely an able-bodied man remained. We are able to mention the names of a few. William Johnson was a colonel, Abram Moore a captain, Abraham Lewis a major. John Ortman, Robert Corken, Abner Ezra and his son Thomas, James Robuck, Joseph VanGundy, Samuel Moore, George Stanhope, Edward Satts, Joseph Moore, John Young, Joseph and John Hanks, Daniel Ulm, Lawrence Russell, A. Raple, and Hugh Dalahan, were soldiers.
The house which Abner Ezra built in 1804, still stands on land owned by Gerald Price. It is supported on stone pillars.
In 1827 Henry Miller moved from Frederick county, Maryland, and settled in Harrison township. After the death of his first wife he married Rebecca Orr. In 1860 he moved to Springfield township, settling where he now lives.
MOUND.
In the valley of Walnut creek, on land owned by Thomas Stanhope, is a mound. It originally was about fifteen feet high. It has been leveled down to a height of about six feet, and has been plowed over many times. No relics of importance have been taken from it.
DISTILLERY.
The first distillery was erected by Samuel Hanson in 1809 or 1810. It stood against the east bank of Walnut creek, on land now owned by William Marsh, southeast from Mr. Hanson's house. Besides this still there have been four or five others in the township, among them being Alexander Gordon's which was erected on Sugar run, a short distance above Adam Yeryan's mill, about 182o. This still was operated but a short time when Mr. Gordon failed, and the business ceased.
MILLS.
Harrison township probably has a greater abundance of water power, for at least six months of the year, than any other township in Ross county.
The creeks Little Walnut, Walnut, Sugar run, and Poe's run are all fo them rapid streams, which require but little damming to convert into excellent power.
John Emerich built the first mill on the Walnut, near where the Stanhopes now live. Adam Yeryan had a small grist-mill on Sugar run, in the southern part of the township, about 1820. In connection with his mill he worked at gun-making some eight or ten years, furnishing many of the guns used in those days. In 1830 he sold his property, and the mill was allowed to go to decay. The number of mills increased quite rapidly, till at one time there were on the Walnut, in Harrison and the townships to the south, not less than a dozen mills.
These mills have now for the most part disappeared, having had their day. The water power of the streams, though abundant while it lasted, became less and less each year, as the forests were cut away, and the ditches and drains opened, till at length it became cheaper to use steam than to depend on the water power.
Accordingly, about 1842, Mr. Samuel Wheeland built a steam saw-mill and corn-cracker on the upper Walnut, at Charleston. After a few years (1852) Mr. Greenberry Hanson purchased the mill and put in a good run of stone, and thus completed the first modern grist-mill in the township. Excellent flour has been made there since.
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.
The Methodists were the first to organize a church. The organization was completed in 1802, when a log church was erected. This church stood about two rods west of Hanson's school-house, on land belonging to Philip Feirbaugh. The building continued in use until about 186o, when it was moved down the hill to the southwest, where it still stands, on the land owned by Sarah Marsh (east of Mooresville and north of Walnut creek). It is now used for a horse-barn. Benjamin Hanson and Samuel Hanson, his father, together with most of his children, were the first members of the church. Other early members were: Robert Corken and family, the two Russells and parts of their families, James Robuck and family, Louis Graves and most of his family, Andrew Thompson, Andrew Simpson, James Carruthers, etc. Benjamin Ellis preached about 1820.
It was customary to hold protracted meetings, and people for many miles around would attend. Many of these people, not finding it convenient to return home at night, were entertained by the Hansons. It was not uncommon for them thus to accommodate twenty to twenty-five people in a single cabin, though the cabins themselves were only eighteen by twenty feet in size.
Nearly everybody living in Walnut creek valley, belonged to the Methodist church.
In a similar manner those living on the Little Walnut, to the west, belonged to the church of the United Brethren.
EATHAM CHURCH.
The United Brethren organized the Eatham church in 181o or 1812. The church stood in the western part of the township in the valley of the Little Walnut.
Among the earlier members of the church were John Ortman, Abraham Lucas, Philip Feirbaugh and John Emerich. The church at its best was in a very flourishing condition, numbering, perhaps, sixty members. It has about twenty at present.
NEW LIGHTS.
George Stanhope, with a few others, formed a church called New Lights. They believed in baptism as an essential saving ordinance, and in the washing of each other's feet. Their house of worship, originally a dwelling, stood where Thomas Stanhope now lives. Among their first preachers were Joseph Baker, Martin Baker and William Scott.
BAPTISTS.
From about the year 1822 or 1823 till 1850 the Baptists had an organized church. They were not numer-
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ous, and had no church building, but worshipped in private dwellings. The house now occupied by Jacob Gray, was most frequently their place of meeting.
SCHOOLS.
The first school-house was erected on land now owned by Jacob Gray, in the northeast quarter of section eighteen. This lies in the valley of the Little Walnut, well to the western part of the township.
A man by the name of Dempsy taught school here as early as 1816 or 1817.
Joseph Lockhard taught about 1820, and Samuel Yaple, the father of Judge Yaple, of Cincinnati, was also an early teacher.
The township now has eight school-houses. These are frame houses, and resemble the typical country school-house. Some are heated with wood, and some with coal stoves.
The following men constitute the present board of education for the township: Henry C. Wiltshire, John Stanhope, John Hilton, Wallace S. Wheeland, Walter W. Emerich, Moses Dilley, Jacob Isennagle, Ebenezer Speakman.
"HILLICANS,"
Until about 1840 very little land other than the valleys and bottom lands of the principal streams, was under cultivation. Since that time large numbers of Dutch and Irish have taken up the hill country in small lots of from thirty to fifty acres each. A glance at the map of the township reveals the fact that the southern and eastern portion, formerly supposed to be without much value, is now more densely populated than the portions earlier settled. These "Hillicans," as they are called, live a simple and retired life, quite secluded, oftentimes, from the rush of civilization. They raise most of their provisions, and often produce something for the town markets, such as berries and small fruits. Many of their houses, or cabins, rather, can only be reached by following bridle paths, or on horseback, for long distances from the traveled wagon roads. Harrison township is but poorly supplied with these latter roads, chiefly because of the nature of the surface.
The first justice of the peace in Harrison township was David Clark, who was elected for that office in the spring of 1813. He qualified as such officer on the thirtieth of June, 1813.
Abraham Lucas was elected to the office of justice of the peace about 1816.
James H. Search has been continued a justice of the peace by the people of the township for sixteen or seventeen years, and still holds it.
Dr. Wiltshire was the first settled practicing physician in Harrison. He located at Mooresville about 1850, and practiced quite a number of years.
The present physician is Dr. S. C. Southard, a young man of excellent judgment and ability.
CEMETERIES.
There are no regular cemeteries laid out in Harrison. There are, however, four or five burying places on private grounds, some of which are still in use.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES,
DANIEL CLIMER.
This gentleman, one of the wealthiest and most prominent citizens of Harrison township, is of mixed English and German descent, his father, Joseph Climer, being of the former stock, and his mother, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Ault, of the latter. They resided near Harper's Ferry, Virginia, where he was born February 2, 181o, their second son. The family came to Ross county in 1815 or '16; staid one winter at a place on Lick run, and then bought and settled on the farm where the subject of this sketch now resides, near the southwest corner of Harrison township, seven miles from Chillicothe. This was one of the first improvements made in that part of the Scioto valley, and the pioneer house put up by the elder Climer, had the first shingle roof of any dwelling in that locality. This house, a log one, and its successor, a one-story frame house, with an L, were both burnt while the property of Daniel Climer, who finally erected upon the same site, in 1859, the handsome and spacious brick mansion, which is illustrated in this volume, and which has now been the home of Mr. Climer and his family for twenty-one years.
Young Climer had but limited opportunities for education in the cheap "subscription schools" of his time and region, and he remained quietly at home, engaged in the labors of the farm, until his marriage, June 13, 1833, to Miss Rebecca, daughter of Aaron Jones, esq., farmer and long-time justice of the peace, near Hallsville. He then rented his father's farm, which afterwards became his property. Upon this fine estate he has since continuously resided, engaged solely in its management and improvement, except for a few years in the early day, when he filled a part of his time with the manufacture of grain- cradles, turning out about fifty per year. He was always a handy worker in wood and iron, though not especially trained to any business connected therewith. His wares were in steady demand, and he could have sold twice the quantity of them he made. To some extent, he has also been a cattle-dealer, with general, though not uniform, success. He is a large stockholder in, and was the first president, and long a director of the Walnut Creek Turnpike company. In his long course of business, extending over nearly half a century, he has had but one lawsuit (and that was about a small matter) in which he was successful. He is a strong Republican in politics, and somewhat active in forwarding the interests of his party locally, but has never cared to use his influence for his own benefit as an office-seeker or officeholder. His religious belief, as he defines it, " is in the ultimate holiness and happiness of the entire race of man." He is in good reputation among his fellows in all business and moral regards. His traits of character are somewhat marked, and are said by his friends and neighbors to be quite correctly delineated in the following sketch or chart, which was written for him many years ago by the celebrated phrenologist, 0. S. Fowler, in Cincinnati, when Mr. Climer had not yet passed his prime:
"Power is your predominant characteristic, and developed to a greater degree than in one man out of many thousands. You inherit from your father, whom you resemble in most respects, and derive from him one of the strongest constitutions ever a man had, and along with it, extraordinary will power and tenacity of life; so that you can live on thirty or forty years yet are almost a wreck, are well nigh used up, have broken yourself almost down, have shouldered loads which not one man in thousands could carry, have paralyzed your nervous system by over-lifting or work, by some form of excessive labor. You are one of the most wilful, even doggedly obstinate men, I ever examined; bound to have your own way if you have to hang for it. You are a most bold, resolute, determined and courageous man; are one of the bravest of the brave in times of personal danger; would make a most plucky and determined soldier; do not know what fear is; have run risks all your life, and almost broken your neck because of your extreme boldness and courage; actually love life's struggles better than any easy berth—indeed, the harder you row the better you like it; are rather imperative; were born to command; speak with great authority, so that your children know they must mind; are not persuasive enough—should soften 'off; you have strong family affections, but do not show half the affection you really possess—so manifest more. You have one of the most splendid muscular systems I ever examined, but you have seriously impaired your digestion; can restore your health by a long rest, but by nothing else; need to take no medicines, for they will never reach your case; should sleep, no matter how much; must eat lightly, especially at supper; ought to do nothing for two or three
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years. You are very kind and fond as a husband to wife, but not tender and fondling enough; are a warm, hearty, whole-souled friend, and will do for your friends whatever man can well do--indeed, have too much friendship and kindness. You have extraordinary power to withstand disease—hardly know when either sick or tired; have gone through what would break down ninety-nine men in every hundred. You have great industry and economy; will make money; will lay up for future use, and be well off--still, considering how hard you earn it, you spend it rather freely, and need to learn how to hold on to it. You are perfectly candid; despise hypocrisy as you hate poison; pursue an open and above-board course; have been often imposed upon by your fellow-men because you were too unsuspecting; must 'get your eye teeth cut; have great fortitude; will surmount any number of obstacles, and are never discouraged, but hope on, hope ever, even against hope. You are almost skeptical, believing only what is proved to a demonstration, and want your minister should show why before you give assent; have done a great amount of independent thinking of late years, and this tendency grows upon you; have a true worship of the Deity; have a high sense of manliness, and will fulfil every promise; stand high among your neighbors for integrity and intelligence, and are trusted to any extent, your word being your bond; never seek to' curry favor, but take it when it comes. You have extraordinary mechanical genius, and are just the man to direct work and men; can do almost anything you ever saw done. You are wanting in style; lack taste; have no aristocracy; are a lover of the people; need more refinement, culture; have too much of the pioneer in your composition. Should cultivate agreeableness, and learn to apply 'soft soap,' which you always despised; so just kiss the blarney-stone. You are bound to have everything in place; are one of the best judges of property; as a farmer, would keep everything in place, and see that every row and fence was straight; 'are very fond of knowledge, and this fondness grows upon you; have one of the best memories of countenances in
the world—literally forget none, but never remember names, dates, or expressions, yet remember places perfectly, and everything you have once seen or known; with training, could make a good speaker; are unusually well informed for a man of your means, and smart; are a good judge of human nature, and may always trust your first impressions; are happy in your comparisons; good in planning, but better in reasoning and discriminations. You belong to the 'late ripes;' are not matured even yet; will grow still better, and may always trust your own judgment, and need softening off and refining."
Mr. Climer lost his first wife March 3, 1845. He had children by her as follows : Caroline, born April 6, 1834, now Mrs. Thomas Wheeler, living upon a farm near her father ; David, born September is, 1835, a farmer at Londonderry station ; Margery, born May 22, 1837, living with her older brother ; Joseph, born April 29, 1839, a soldier in company C, Thirty-third Ohio infantry, killed at the battle of Perryville ; Sarah Ann, born December ro, 1841, died November 8, 1843. Mr. Chiller was married March 28, 1847, to Miss Martha Riley, daughter of Alexander Riley, a neighboring farmer, They have children : Edwin Parker, born February 2, 1848, now station-keeper at Londenderry station ; Leroy, born August 8, 1849, a farmer in Springfield township ; William Henry, born June 5, 1851, a farmer on the Walnut Creek turnpike, three miles from his father ; Sidney, born February 1, 1853, died August 5, 1855 ; Daniel Watson, born October as, 1854; Quimby, January 1, 1856 ; Mary Jane, August 2, 1858 ; Nancy December 1r, 1861 ; and Cynthia, October 11, 1862. The five last named remain at home with their parents. The father has done handsomely by his children. Beginning life himself with a present of but one hundred and fifty dollars from his father, he has been enabled to give one thousand dollars to each of his children of the first marriage, upon their settlement in life, and to provide almost equally well for each of the others who have as yet gone out from the paternal roof.