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CHAPTER III.

BUCKS TOWNSHIP.

BOUNDARIES AND ORGANIZATION-TOPOGRAPHY-PIONEERS-MILLS-SCHOOLS-GREENSBURG-ROWVILLE-CHURCHES-LOCAL MAGISTRATES.

BUCKS TOWNSHIP lies in the extreme western part of Tuscarawas County. It is bounded on the west and south by Coshocton County, on the north by Holmes County and Auburn Township, and on the east by Jefferson Township. It embraces all of Township 7, Range 4, except Sections 1, 2 and 3 in the northeast part, which belong to Auburn Township. It is composed entirely of Congress land, a fact which argues its uninviting appearance to the pioneers, for the first locations made were the military quarters. Bucks Township was organized from Sugar Creek and Warwick March 8, 1825, soon after the formation of Holmes County had taken from Tuscarawas its north west corner. The original extent of Bucks included its present territory, the greater part of Auburn, and about one-half of what is now Jefferson. It began at the southeast corner of Holmes County; thence north two miles to the northwest corner of Section 18, Township 8,, Range 4; thence east to the northeast corner of the northwest quarter of Section 18, Township 8, Range 3; thence south to Salem Township (the line between Townships 6 and 7); thence west to the county line; thence north to the Holmes County line; thence east to the place of beginning. Provision was made for the election of officers on the first Monday in April following, at the house of John Mizer. The title Bucks was bestowed upon the new township by the Commissioners, at the instance of John Mizer, who was a successful and constant hunter, and wished to signalize the abundance of deer to be found in the brakes and hill-tops of the township.

The surface manifests the rough characteristics which belong to watersheds in this region. Sugar Creek heads in the northwest corner of the town ship and flows northward. Evans Creek in the southeast part flows southerly, and in the west are found branches of White-Eyes Creek, which flow in a westerly direction. Deep ravines pierce the township in all directions, and range after range of hills rapidly succeed each other. The soil is a limestone clay in places, but on the branches of White-Eyes Creek is sandy. Jutting sandstone rocks are frequently seen along the hillside declivities. Near the southwest corner of the township, on the Coshocton County line, is a natural curiosity in the shape of a large sandstone formation on the summit of a lofty ridge. Standing Rock, as it is called, at its base is probably 15x35 feet, ane has an altitude of perhaps forty-five feet. It is much visited, and its sides and top are covered with the names of visitors. Some ore is found, but not so plenteously as in other townships. Coal exists in veins of two to three feet in thickness, but they are low and little worked.

The pioneers of Bucks Township were Pennsylvania Germans. The rugged topography deterred settlement for many years after some other parts of the county were occupied, and it was probably not until the war of 1812 had ended that white men took possession of this soil. And then they came slowly. In 1820, there were but four resident real estate tax-payers in what

510 - HISTORY OF TUSCARAWAS COUNTY.

is now the township. In 1826, the number had increased to only nine, and by 1830 but five more were added. About 1833, a German emigration set in, which rapidly increased, and in a. few years peopled the hills with a thrifty and industrious class of settlers. Heavy timber covered the land, except on the ridges, where it had been kept clown by fires, and often only red brush prevailed. The emigrants applied themselves diligently to the work of clearing the forests. and in a few years made the farms. which, in many cases, either themselves or their children yet cultivate.

The earliest settlers were, as nearly as can be learned. Jacob Forney and Jacob Gonter. Both hailed from Pennsylvania, and were of German ancestry, and probably reached the solitudes of this country, after a weary pilgrimage, about 1815. Mr. Forney entered and settled on the northeast quarter of Section 5, a half-mile east of Rowville. Not many years later he died here, and was buried on the summit of a hill on the farm. Joseph Forney, his son, succeeded to the ownership of the farm. He still lives in Auburn Township, and is a member of the Dunkard Church. Jacob Gonter entered and settled on the northwest quarter of Section 5, which forms the northwest corner of the township, and is the land upon a portion of which Rowville is built. Mr. Gonter died near Ragersville. His family were members of the German Reformed Church.

George Gonter emigrated from Stoyestown, Penn.. to near Dover, in 1812; several years later he entered the southwest quarter of Section 8, and in March, 1816, moved to it with his family. He was a Lutheran, and remained through life a resident of the township. David Gonter. his son, is now the oldest resident native of Bucks. He was born December 28, 1816, and lives a half-mile east of Rowville.

Following these pioneers came Philip Mizer, Henry Stance and Jacob Miller. Philip Mizer was a brother to John Mizer, of Auburn Township. He came from Shanesville; was a carpenter by trade, and settled on the west half of the northwest quarter of Section 25, in the southwest part of the township. He afterward removed to Coshocton County. Henry Stance was a Pennsylvanian, and settled in the southeastern portion of the township, on the northeast quarter of Section 22, where he died. Jacob Miller came from near Shanesville, where his father, John Miller, had settled, and settled on the northeast quarter of Section 8.

Abraham Berntrager, Benjamin Hehvig and George Harshman came a few years later. Mr. Berntrager emigrated from Pennsylvania, and settled on the west half of the northwest quarter of Section 20. He was a Lutheran, and died in Bucks Township. Having no children, he adopted several, and reared them in his backwoods home. Benjamin Helwig came originally from Pennsylvania, but prior to his settlement in Bucks Township, in 1824, had dwelt for a time in Harrison County. He was a hunter of some note, and entered 480 acres of land, the south half of Section 20. and the northwest quarter of Section 21. In 1834, Mr. Helwig removed to Dover Township, where he died years afterward. He was a Lutheran, and had a family of ten children. George Harshman, from Fayette County, Penn., settled on the west half of the southeast quarter of Section 8.

George Gonter, about 1822, constructed a horse grist mill, which, for a few years was extensively patronized by the needy pioneers. Above the beam to which the horses were hitched, was a large horizontal wheel, nearly forty feet in diameter. communicating by means of wooden coos with another small wheel on the shaft which turned the mill-stone. This rude primitive structure served a valuable office until water mills were erected a few years later. George Gonter, Jonas Spengler. Frederick Mauerer and a Mr. Mishler oper-

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ated little copper stills, whence the surrounding settlers obtained their beverage. The grist mill at Rowville is the only one now in the township. Cheesemaking is not carried on so extensively as in the adjoining township of Auburn. But one factory is in operation in Bucks.

School advantages were very meager. For years there were no schools, and when attention could be given to the instruction of the then rising generation, there was only one quarter, or term of three months' duration, each year. Many children could not be spared from the work at home to attend even this. An early schoolhouse stood on the Miller quarter section, the northeast quarter of Section 8. John Travis, George Travis and Rev. Jacob Summers, a Dunkard minister, and others taught here.

Greensburg was laid out in 1817 by David Seldenright and Henry Sliffe, on the northeast quarter of Section 10. in the midst of the woods. The road led to it, but a barrel of whisky was rolled through the brush to the site of the expectant town, and those who assisted in the feat of making the town jollified at the conclusion of their labors. The plat was cross-shaped and contained seventy-'two lots. High and Main streets were the principal thoroughfares, and the remaining public highways were dubbed East, West, North and South streets. The town came to naught. No lots were ever sold. The quarter upon which it was platted is still called the town quarter. It was entered by David Seldenright, who hailed from Easton, Penn., and dwelt in Auburn Township.

Rowville was founded in 1848 by Lewis Row. It is located on the northwest quarter of Section 5, entered by Jacob Gonter. The lots of the original plat, seventy-two in number, front on both sides of two streets, Cass and Butler, each sixty feet wide, which intersect at right angles and form a square, which is 100 feet each way. Butler street extends north eighteen degrees east; Cass, south seventy-two degrees east. The proprietor, in 1850, laid out an addition of six lots on a northern extension of Butler street. William R. Foster, in 1851, made an addition of fifteen lots on the west side of South Butler street, and at the same time Frederick Knopp added twelve lots to the east side of South Butler street. Lewis Row was a farmer. and later in life removed to Owen County, Ind., where he died. The lots were cried off at public sale, and sold quite low. William Burkey built the first house, about 1849. He paid $12 for his lot. He was a tanner by trade, had lived at Farmersville, Holmes County, and died in 1855. Adam Regula and Max Dengler kept the first store, and Levi Hostetler was an early merchant. Samuel Long was the first Postmaster. Martin Row, now of Owen County, Ind., taught the first school. He was the son of Lewis Row, the proprietor of the town. Daniel Forney, quite early, built a grist mill which was destroyed by fire about twelve years ago, while owned by John and William Dietz. It was a custom mill, operated by steam and contained but two buhrs. The present schoolhouse is an old two-story frame, containing two apartments. It is under the control of the Township Board.

Rowville, during the last year or two, has increased considerably in size. The Connotton Valley Railroad passes through it, and has added very materially to its gain. The population in 1880 was 189, and is now estimated at 350. The town is rich in cognomens; it has always been named Rowville, but is also known as Buena Vista and as Baltic. Buena Vista is the name given the railroad station here, and was also the title of the post office until quite recently, when the department dubbed it Baltic. The village now contains two dry goods stores, one grocery, one clothing store, one millinery store, two drug stores, two hardware stores, one stove and tin store, one furniture store, two shoe

514 - HISTORY OF TUSCARAWAS COUNTY.

stores. two hotels, two saloons, two livery stables, two blacksmith shops, a harness shop, a wagon shop, a tannery, a planing mill and a grist mill.

The tannery is owned by Jacob Wolfarth, and has been in operation about twenty years. The Rowville Mills were erected in 1851, by Jacob Mast and William Miller, who were succeeded by ;Mast, Troyer & Co., the present owners. The new roller process has been adopted, and the mills are doing an extensive merchant and custom business, running night and day. The planing mill, a large brick building, was erected in the spring of 1883 by Philip Miller and John Wolf, and is now working at its full capacity.

Dr. B. C. Blackburn, now of Roscoe. Coshocton County, was the first physician. He located at Rowville about 1850, remained in practice twelve or fourteen years, and was succeeded by Dr. W. H. Putts, who four years later sold his practice to Dr. A. S. Metzler, the only physician now residing in the village. Drs. Phillips and P. J. Heinz were formerly practitioners here for brief periods.

Zion's Evangelical German Church, erroneously called Lutheran sometimes, of Rowville, was organized in 1856, by Rev. H. G. Holm. The earliest membership included John Schnell, Valentine Wolf, Jacob Hoobler, Frederick Knopf, Jacob Gass, John Rinehart, Frederick Marhofer, Richard Siegel, Adam Scar and others. A carpenter shop was purchased, converted into a house of worship, and so used until 1881, when a neat frame edifice was erected at a cost of $1,475. Rev. Holm remained pastor until 1879, when Frederick M. Haefele became and still continued the minister in charge. About twenty-five families are connected with the church.

St. John's English Lutheran Church was organized in 1875, by Rev. John Y. Myers, with a small class, including William H. Burkey, William Stull, Francis Hoobler, Jacob Hoobler, Joseph Rinehart and a few others. Rev. Myers was pastor for four or five years, and was succeeded by Rev. John Marks, of New Philadelphia, who still serves the church. The membership is now about sixty. The church building occupied is an edifice reared about 1858 by a German Reformed congregation, which became too weak to maintain an organization.

The Rowville Methodist Episcopal Church was organized by Rev. J. T. Hoak, with about twelve members, among whom were Dr. A. S. Metzler, Christian Lenz, George Rigby and C. J. Rice. The same year a neat frame building was erected at a cost of about $1,300. This class is yet small, and during the year 1822-23, was not regularly supplied with a minister.

Without the village limits are three other churches in the township. In the southwest corner of Section 24, in the southwest part of the township, stands St. Paul's Evangelical Church. Among its first members were Daniel Koenig, Peter Gebhart, Lewis Wentz. Sr.. John Thomas, Sr. John Thomas, Jr., Henry Diebel, Peter Mauerer, Lewis Wentz. Jr.. Valentine Hothem, Andrew Potz, Balthazer Bretzens, John Mauerer, and John Zinkon. Rev. Holm G. Holm became pastor in October, 1849, and served thirty years. He was succeeded by the present pastor, Rev. F. M. Haefele. The first church was a log building, which was superseded in 1871 by the present frame structure. About thirty-five families are associated in the congregation.

In the northern part of the township, southwest quarter of Section 8, is an old frame church, where two congregations worship, the Evangelical and German Reformed; the church was built in 1840. Rev. Henry Colorado was the pioneer minister, and remained in charge of the church until his death in 1816. He was a zealous laborer. and traveled throughout the county, and into Holmes and Coshocton, establishing churches and harmonizing the religious difficulties which prevailed among the German element. Rev. Haefele is pas-

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for of the Evangelical congregation, and Rev. Beesy, of the German Reformed. Each possesses a creditable membership.

In the southeast part of Bucks, near the east line of Section 22, is Evan's Creek English Lutheran Church. The society is strong, and is supplied by Rev. John Marks. A German Reformed society also holds services here.

The following citizens have served the township in the capacity of Justice of the Peace: Michael Swagler, 1825; Henry L. Dally, 1826; Henry L. Dallv, 1829; Richard Cunning, 1831; Joseph Coughenour, 1832; Richard Cunning, 1834; Philip Mizer, 1834; John Shank, 1837; Philip Mizer, 1837; John Shank, 1840; Philip Mizer, 1841; Joseph Helwig, 1843; Philip Mizer, 1843; George Gonter, 1845; Philip Mizer, 1846; George Gonter, 1848; Philip Hawk, 1847; Philip Mizer, 1849; Peter Hawk, 1850; John Lower, 1851; Philip Mizer, 1852; Peter Hawk, 1853; John Lower, 1854; B. C. Blackburn, 1855; John Lower, 1857; B. C. Blackburn, 1858; John Lower, 1860; Casimer Lorenz, 1861; John Lower. 1863; Casimer Lorenz, 1865; John Schoemacher, 1866; David H. Troendly, 1868; John Schoemacher, 1809; Peter Everhart, 1871; David H. Troendly, 1872; 2; Peter Marsch, 1874; David H. Troendly, 1875; Peter Marsch, 1877; David H. Troendly, 1878; Peter Marsch, 1880; David H. Troendly, 1881; Henry Deibel, 1883.