FAIRFIELD TOWNSHIP - 545

CHAPTER VI.

FAIRFIELD TOWNSHIP.

LOCATION- FORMATION - STREAMS - MINERALS ERA - FURNACE - EARLY SETTLERS FIRST PREACHING - CHURCHES It: - FAIRFIELD - VALLEY LET CITY - SAVANA -MOUNT TABOR-LOCAL MAGISTRATES.

FAIRFIELD TOWNSHIP is five miles in length north and south, and four and a half miles in width. It includes all of Township 9, Range 1, except a strip one-half mile in width off the east side, which belongs to Warren Township. It is Congress land, excepting the third or southwest quarter. This is a Western Reserve school quarter, consisting of twenty-five lots, each one-half mile square. Fairfield was formed by the County Commissioners June 2, 1817, from Township 9, Range 1. The citizens were notified to meet at the house of George Kollar June 17, 1817, and then and there proceed to the selection of township officers. The only subsequent change in the territorial limits of the township was the loss of the land annexed to Warren.

The Tuscarawas River crosses the northwestern corner of the township, separating 600 or 700 acres from the main portion of the township. One Leg Creek flows easterly through the northern portion of Fairfield, and enters the river in this township. These are the only noticeable streams. The hills rise to a considerable altitude, and are somewhat rugged in places, yet most of the land is tillable. The thickly grouped hills are underlaid with splendid deposits of coal and iron ore. A good quality of sandstone is also found. The iron ore was known to exist here at an early day. A furnace was built in the northwestern part of the township in early days, and operated by Christ mas & Hazlett. It was subsequently purchased by the separatists of Zoar and operated by them extensively for many years. It was a charcoal furnace, and offered the neighboring settlers a market for the forest trees, which would otherwise have been wasted, rolled in heaps and burned. Mountain ore was first discovered, black-band afterward. Some of the black-band ore yields 70 percent iron. The mineral wealth of the township is still being developed, and considerable quantities of ore are now shipped. One of the principal mines is that of Hugh Kelley, located in School Lot 8. Agriculture, however, receives the attention of the citizens generally. Fruit is abundant, and the finest peaches in the county are here raised in abundance.

The first settlements in the township were made in the Tuscarawas Valley. The three earliest pioneers were Gideon Jennings, Aaron Reeves and Abel Williams, all of whom came before 1807. Of these, Gideon Jennings proba-

546 - HISTORY OF TUSCARAWAS COUNTY.

bly came first. He entered the east half of Section 5 and the northwest quarter of Section 4, 480 acres, and built his cabin soon after the opening of the present century near the mouth of One Leg Creek. When he arrived, the Indians roved in large bands through the country, while the cabins of the white men could be found only at intervals of many miles along the river. His house was on a trait from the lakes to the Ohio. and hunting parties often passed. The Indians were friendly. but troublesome at times and fond of a joke. A large party visited the cabin of Mr. Jennings on one occasion. and proved quite annoying in importuning victuals. Mrs. Jennings gave them a piece of her mind at which they became enraged and threatened to kill her. On another occasion, two Indians sprang from a thicket and seized the bonnets from the heads of her two little daughters, who were hoeing corn in the field. Then rushing toward the house. they brandished the bonnets in the air and frightened Mrs. Jennings with the fear that they had killed the little girls. Mr. Jennings was a fearless man and possessed unusual powers of endurance, well fitting him for the life of a pioneer.

Aaron Reeves entered and settled on the northeast quarter of Section 4. He was a hunter and a trapper, and spent most of his time in the forest. He was once suspected by the Indians of shooting a favorite dog. A party of them visited his cabin soon after, when only Mrs. Reeves and her child were present. Seeing them approach, Mrs. Reeves fled, leaving her child in the house. Aaron Reeves was not far distant, however, and learning of the presence of the angry savages at his cabin, hastened home. He found it thronged with the excited red men, who made their accusations and seemed disposed to make trouble. His gun was hanging above the door, and could not be reached for the Indians. Nothing daunted. the backwoodsman deter. mined to assert his supremacy in his own household, and, seizing a split bottomed chair, he tore a post from it and ordered the Indians to leave. Realizing that he was not the kind of man to meddle with. they at once vacated the premises. Mr. Reeves died about 1830; his wife survived until 1842.

Abel Williams remained in the township until his death. He had several daughters and seven sons, whose names were Thomas, Benjamin, Levi, Aaron, Silas, John and Moses. Three of the sons, Thomas, Levi and Benjamin, served in n the war of 1812. Most of the children settled in Fairfield Town ship. In 1820, Benjamin owned the southwest quarter of Section 11, which he had entered, and Thomas occupied the southeast quarter of Section 3.

John McCreary was one of the first pioneers of the county. He was a Virginian bv birth, of Irish extraction, and first settled in what is now Warren Township about 1806. A few years later he entered the southeast quarter of Section 2, of Fairfield Township. and removed to it, residing there till his death in 1857, at the age of eighty-seven years. His wife, Margaret (Slutts), whom he married in 1810, died in 1877, aged eighty-nine years. Mr. McCreary had a family of ten children. Two sons still reside in this township.

George Kollar, a native of York County, Penn., emigrated to the eastern part of Ohio in 1802. In 1808, he entered the north half of Section J, of Fairfield Township, and two years later took up his residence there, where he continued until his decease, occurring in 1850, in the eighty-fifth year of his age. His wife died eight years later. aged eighty-six years. Their children were Jacob, Andrew. George, Adam. Margaret. Catherine, Michael and Joseph.

Samuel Waltz emigrated with his family from Maryland to Tuscarawas County in 1812, and in 181:3 settled in what is now Fairfield Township, remaining a life-long resident. His children entered land and settled around him, and many of the family name are still citizens of the township.

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Among other early settlers were William Slutts, Israel Sell, Philip Ports, Nathan McGrew, Joseph Hayes, Henry Davy, Thomas Cordery, Daniel, George and Jonathan Custard and John Cryder. William Slutts was one of the earliest, pioneers, and came to the township from Maryland probably as early as 1808. He entered the southwest quarter of Section 3 and lived in the township through life. Israel Sell owned and occupied the northeast quarter of Section 2. He afterward removed to Owen, Ind. Philip Ports entered and settled on the northeast quarter of Section 13. Nathan McGrew was the original purchaser and resident of the southwest quarter of Section 2. Joseph Hayes entered the southeast quarter of Section 9. Henry Davy entered the northwest quarter of Section 2; he was a brother to John Davy, of Warren Township, and emigrated from Maryland in 1808. Thomas Cordery came in 1810 from Maryland. He entered the northwest quarter of Section 19 and lived and died there. Daniel Custard entered the northwest quarter of Section 10; his brother George, the southeast quarter of Section 13 and the southeast quarter of Section 11. John Cryder was the first purchaser of the southwest quarter of Section 10.

The light of religion was probably first shed in what is now Fairfield Township, in 1809, by Rev. J. B. Finley, a Methodist minister, whose circuit was included within a circumference of over 400 miles. In his autobiography this pioneer missionary thus describes the first religious services held in this vicinity: "At the mouth of One Leg Creek there lived a hunter and trapper (Aaron Reeves). He spent the most of his time in the woods and mingled but little with society. He was looked upon by the neighbors as rather an abject of dread than otherwise. As I had a long ride between my appointments, I concluded one day to take his cabin in my route and try to do him some good. I rode up to his rude habitation and asked if I could get something for myself and horse to eat. He cast a sour look at me and replied, `I suppose you can.' I dismounted, and while his wife was preparing a meal I saw his rifle upon the hooks over the door. Said I to him, `You have a good looking gun.' He replied, `Yes.' `Are you a good shot, Mr. Reeves?' `I count myself among the best,' was his reply. `Do you think that you can beat me?' `Yes, with all ease, or any other man.' `I have some doubts on that subject.' 'You can soon settle that matter after you eat your dinner.' After dinner was over he had his rifle ready; we walked out, stepped off the distance and fixed the tar get. He said, `The first shot is yours.' The first round I beat him; the second he had slightly the advantage; the third was mine. He insisted on trying it over, but I declined, got permission to call back in four weeks and said he might call his neighbors together and have preaching. When I came round, I found the neighbors, old and young, gathered to hear the preaching. It was a time of deep solemnity. After preaching, "Mr. Reeves excused himself and said he was going to set his Traps. but I wished to go with him: to this be assented, I stayed all night, prayed with the family in the morning and left. On my next visit the trapper and his family were converted. A class was formed; Reeves was appointed leader and a flourishing society that has continued until the present day was the result of the visit to the hunter's cabin." It was the parent of a number of neighboring congregations. The meetings were held for many years at Reeve's cabin, and when the members felt able, an excellent log church, for those times, was built in the One Leg bottoms, near the northwest corner of the northeast quarter of Section 4, on ground so low that during freshets the water frequently entered the windows. The leading early members were Thomas Williams and family, the Reeves, James Newman and John Slutts. The present frame church, standing on the hill, near the northeast corner of Section 4, superseded the old log structure in

548 - HISTORY OF TUSCARAWAS COUNTY.

1861. The present membership is about twenty. Rev. Weaver, the pastor, preaches also at Mineral City, Pleasant Valley (Sandy Township) and New Cumberland.

In the western part of the township, near the north line of Section 14, stands the Bisel, or "Furnace United Brethren Church." It is the first and only church structure of the society, and was built about 1850. A class had been organized a few years before that date. and worshiped at private houses. The present membership is small.

St. Matthew's Evangelical Lutheran Church. located in the northwest corner of Section 19, was built in 1837, and repaired and enlarged in 1872 or 1873 at a cost of $1,300. It is a frame. building, and the lot upon which it is located was donated to the congregation by Silas Williams.

The first minister was Rev. Emanuel Greenwold, of New Philadelphia, who held services in the cabin and barn of Adam Ranesberger, an early member, at, the cabin of Samuel Waltz, another early member, and elsewhere till the church was built. Other early Lutherans of this society were William Stevens and John and David Weaver. The present church membership is about forty. This church is connected with the Dover charge and Rev. H. H. Hall is the present minister.

Mount Zion and Tuscarawas Valley German Baptist. or Dunkard, Church. situated on the road, a short distance south of the Lutheran Church, was built in 1870, at a cost of about $4,000. At that time the members who worshiped here were connected with the Stark County and Tuscarawas Church, and so continued until about 1877, when the Mount Zion and Tuscarawas Valley Church was organized. A branch meeting house is in New Philadelphia. Early preaching was held in Fairfield Township at dwelling houses. Rev. George V. Kollar has preached here for twenty-three years. Besides s him at present Revs. Peter Kollar and Edward Loomis minister to this congregation, the numerical strength of which is about fifty.

The village of Fairfield was laid out by Samuel and Worthington Slutts in 1854, and is located in the northwest quarter of Section 4. The original plat contained thirty lots. Broadway, Fair and Conotton were the streets. It is situated on the line of the Tuscarawas branch of the Cleveland & Pittsburgh Railroad, but has never attained a larger size than a fey houses and a store. The station and post office is now called Zoar Station. The store here is the property of the Zoar society. and has been operated since .1863 by Charles H. Ehlers. Mr. Ehlers has also been Postmaster since 1867.

About a fourth mile farther north, near the junction of the Lake Erie & Wheeling and the Valley Railroads with the Tuscarawas branch. and on the line between Fairfield and Sandy Townships, the Separatists of Zoar in October, 1882, laid off a town of twenty-eight lots, and named it Valley City. An addition of thirteen lots in Sandy Township was made in March, 1883. A small grocery, several houses and a commodious depot and eating house compose the infant village.

Savana was the title of a town plat which was surveyed by Thomas King, surveyor, for Edward Ogden, David McConnell and Israel S. Lappin, the proprietors, June 12, 1834. It was located west of the river near the Ohio Canal. The plat contained thirty-nine lots, regularly and systematically laid out, with streets and alleys intervening. but it came to naught.

In the southern part of Fairfield. near the northern line of School Lot 17, in former days was a brisk little settlement called Mount Tabor. Samuel C. Wright first settled here in 18311, The following year, Christian Brown built a cabin, and in a few years the place contained a store, kept by Mr. Dempster, a grocery, a schoolhouse, a post office and a half dozen or more dwelling

FAIRFIELD TOWNSHIP. - 549

houses. When the Tuscarawas branch was built, the post office was removed, and the impromptu hamlet gradually lost its inhabitants. Several houses still remain to indicate the spot.

John Knisely once innocently created a panic among the few scattering settlers during the war of 1812. He was cautiously approaching a deer lick to hunt dear, and was seen from afar skulking from tree to tree, and mistaken for an Indian. The neighborhood was quickly aroused by the report that a large force of hostile savages were close at hand. The people gathered in at Finton's, where Nathaniel McCreary now resides, and spent a night of anxiety and dreadful expectation. The nest morning, the source of the rumor was learned, and the pioneers returned to their labors.

Among the early teachers in the township, were Thomas C. Wright, Lydia Wilson, Elliott Haves, John Finton, John Scott, William Scott and Boyd Kerr. Lydia Wilson organized the first Sunday school in the township about 1829.

The following citizens of the township have served as Justices of the Peace: Thomas Williams, 1818; Nathan McGrew, 1818; Thomas Williams, 1820; James Finton, 1820; Samuel Miller, 1823; Nathan McGrew, 1824; James Finton, 1825: Samuel Miller, 1826; James Finton, 1828; Samuel Miller, 1829; James Finton, 1831; Samuel Miller, 1832; Joseph Hathaway, 1833; James Finton, 1834; John Hixon, 1836; Robert McKee, 1837; Samuel C. Wright, 1839; John Hixon, 1839; John A. Reilly, 1842; William Holmes, 1845; John A. Reilly, 1845; William Holmes, 1848; John A. Reilly, 1848: Elias Waltz, 1850; John A. Reilly, 1851; JosepH Kollar, 1851; Elias Waltz, 1853; William Minnis, 1854; Thomas Holmes, 1856; William Minnis, 1857; Elias Waltz, 1858; Elias Waltz, 1861; Moses Wright, 1861; James D. Boon, 1862; Joseph Junkins, 1864; John Waddington, 1864: Joseph Junkins, 1867; Robert D. Ready, 1867: Joseph Junkins, 1871; Moses Wright, 1874; Joseph Junkins, 1874; John L. Kennedy, 1877; John Bontrager, 1877; John L. Kennedy, 1880; Christian C. Siber, 1880: John S. Kollar, 1882.