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CHAPTER XVII

UNION TOWNSHIP.

BOUNDARIES - SURFACE - ORGANIZATION - MAGISTRATES - HORSE TAVERN-THE REIGN OF WHISKY-MILLS-SCHOOLS -CHURCHES - ROCKFORD.

UNION TOWNSHIP lies in the eastern part of Tuscarawas County. It is bounded on the north by Warren Township, on the west by Goshen and Mill, on the :south by Mill, and on the east by Carroll and Harrison Counties. Most of its territory lies in Township 14, Range 7, of which it includes the entire western half, or eighteen sections, except a quarter section in the southwestern corner, which was annexed to Mill. West of this there is also in Union Township a small fraction of the first quarter of Township 7, Range 1, known as the Spencer tract, sixteen 100-acre lots in the fourth quarter of Township 8, Range 1, and north of it a section of Congress land.

The physical features of Union are generally rugged. Little Stillwater Creek crosses the southern end of the township from east to west, and a fertile little valley skirts the stream on either side. Panther and Irish runs flow southward and enter Little Stillwater. They take their origin in deep ravines which slowly broaden, and toward the mouth of the streams form beautiful vales between ridges of steep hills. Successive ranges of hills, lofty and in some places steep, make up the main surface of the townships. They were covered in pioneer days with a heavy growth of timber, of which oak, hickory and chestnut were the prevailing types. The soil is of sandy consistence. Coal is imbedded beneath in veins of four or five feet thickness, and is mined only for home consumption, except near the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati & St. Louis Railroad, which crosses the southern extremity of the township. Here the facilities for exportation have led to the development of several mines.

In consequence of the formation of Carroll County, the townships along the eastern side of Tuscarawas were re-shaped March 6, 1833, and Union and Mill organized, the former with the following boundaries: Beginning at the northeast corner of Section 24, Township 14, Range 7, at the Carroll County line; thence west on the south line of Warren Township four miles to the northwest corner of the southwest quarter of Section 10, Township 8, Range 1; thence south three and one-half miles to Township 7; thence east one-half mile to the southwest corner of Lot 1, Township 8, Range 1; thence south two

662 - HISTORY OF TUSCARAWAS COUNTY.

and one-half miles; thence east three and one-half miles to the southeast corner of Section 19, Township 14, Range 7, on the Harrison County line; thence north to the place of beginning. The outlines of Union have since been slightly changed. Its territory was formerly a part of One Leg Township. For five years, the elections were held at the house of George Rutledge. The voting place was then changed to the residence of William Brock, where it has since remained. At the first election, about forty-two votes were cast.

The following is a list of the township magistrates: James Boyd, 1833: James Gray, 1833; Thomas L. Milligan, 1836; Abraham Lemasters. 1836; Thomas L. Milligan, 1839; Abraham Lemasters, 1839; Robert McElravy. 1842; Abraham Lamthers, 1842; Cyrus C. Carroll, 1845; Robert McElravy, 1845; Robert McElravy, 1848; Cyrus C. Carroll, 1848: John W. Lytle, 1851: Thomas W. Walker, 1851; John W. Lytle, 1854: William Rutledge, 1854: Richard W. McCullough, 1855; AV Williarn Rutledge, 1857; R. W. McCullough. 1858; William Rutledge, 1860: R. W. McCullough. 1861: William Rutledge, 1863; R. W. McCullough, 1864; William Rutledge, 1866; Joshua Leggett, 1867; William Rutledge, 1869: Richard W. McCullough. 1871: Luke Quinn, 1874; William Rutledge, 1875: Luke Quinn, 1847; William C. Armstrong, 1877; William Rutledge, 1878; Luke Quinn, 1880; Luke Quinn. 1883.

The present population of Union Township is largely Irish in nationality. Methodist in religion, and Republican politically. They are not the descendants of the earliest pioneers, but came and entered land after the first settlers had become domiciled in the little valleys through the township. The white men who first peopled this region were mostly rough backwoodsmen. who had been reared in the frontier settlements of Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia, and who advanced on the foremost wave of civilization and dotted the unbroken wilderness with its first humble cabins. They were a boisterous, restless class of men, who had no scruples to shoot deer and to fish on Sunday, or to take deep potations from the spirits everywhere distilled throughout the Western country, yet they possessed the integrity and virtues of their race and generation. Many of them did not own the soil they occupied, and as fast as bona fide proprietors arrived they yielded possession and built anew in a more unsettled locality. The valley of Stillwater was the portion of the township that was first settled, and from 1808 to 1812 the primitive pioneers located here. Among the earliest were John McPherson, William McCleary, David Wagoner, James Vanater, George Kail, Jacob Creager. Solomon Arnold and James Boyd.

John McPherson did not remain in the township long, but emigrated farther west. His cabin stood near the bank of Little Stillwater. on the south side, and during freshets was inundated by the floods. Once the creek rose so rapidly that he rescued his family with difficulty from their watery home. His son bad taken refuge in the chimney, but emerged at its top and reached the boat in safety. William McCleary entered the southwest quarter of Section 20 and occupied it for many years. He then went West and subsequently became wealthy. David Wagoner entered the southeast quarter of Section 19. James Vanater was his son-in-law and by occupation a farmer. For a while Vanater kept a tavern at Rockford; he then removed to the western part of the State. George Kail entered the northwest quarter of Section 20. He remained a life-long resident on a portion of it, and his family have long since gone beyond the limits of the township. Jacob Creager was of German birth. He purchased a portion of the Kail farm and remained there till his death. which overtook him in old age. James Boyd was born in County Tyrone. Ireland, and was a pioneer of Union Township widely known as the host. of

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the Black Horse tavern. He purchased the southwest quarter of Section 26, and later in life removed to Allen County.

Other early settlers were Solomon Delong, Jesse Foster, James Gray, Moses Hoagland, William Ilex, Philip Knight, John, Michael and Presly Trumbo and Milver Willis. The Delongs were among the earliest settlers. Solomon entered the southeast quarter of Section 26 and was well advanced in life when he entered the township. John Delong was a famous hunter, and an intimate associate of Joseph Huff, the border ranger of Prairie Township. Jesse Delong lived to be one of the oldest men of Tuscarawas County. He died recently a centenarian. He came to Union Township from Virginia, about 1809, was married in 1812, and thenceforth remained a constant resident of the township. Like many other pioneers, his religion was superstition. He was a firm believer in signs, omens and witchcraft, and by his own statement had many a tussle with witches in the shape of cats, from which he was delivered uninjured through prayer to the Lord. He was not a member of any church, but was always regular in his habits. Jesse Foster entered the northeast quarter of Section 31, and died prior to 1820. James Gray purchased and occupied the southwest quarter of Section 25, entered by Benjamin Wagoner. Mr. Gray afterward removed to the western part of Ohio. Moses Hoagland entered and settled on the northwest quarter of Section 3:1. He was an early Justice of the Peace for One Leg Township, and afterward removed to other regions. William Iler was the possessor and occupant of ninety-one acres off the northwest and southwest quarters of Section 19, which were entered by James Vanater and John Wagoner, respectively. Philip Knight was a blacksmith and a bell-maker, addicted to the popular vice of that day-a fondness for the cup that cheers. He entered and settled on the northeast quarter of Section 19. John, Michael and Presly Trumbo owned and occupied, respectively, the northwest, the southwest and the northeast quarters of Section 25. Milver Willis did not remain long in the township. He owned sixty acres in the northwest quarter of Section 31.

Nathan Leggett was the first settler in the northern part of Union. He came from Pennsylvania in April, 1814, and settled on the farm now owned by John Leggett, where he lived till his death, an earnest Methodist, leaving a large family. James A. Roby was the second pioneer of this vicinity, coming to the northeast quarter of Section 30 from Charles County, Md., in May, 1814. His family and household effects he brought in a cart drawn by three horses. For a short time he tarried in Leesburg, until be could make a small clearing and erect a cabin. Mr. Roby remained thenceforth a resident of the township, and died at the age of eighty-four years. His son Hanson, one of four children, is still a citizen of the township, and has attained the ripe age of eighty-three years. Soon after the arrival of Mr. Roby, William True came from Delaware and settled on the farm now owned by John True. He was a farmer, and died on the home place at an advanced age.

Among other comparatively early settlers of Union were George Graham, John Rule, William Rutledge, Reese Baldwin, Mark Herron, Joshua Leggett, Matthew Evans, A. McCullough, Thomas Milligan and Luke Quinn.

The Black Horse tavern was built in 1819 by James Boyd on the southwest quarter of Section 26, at the junction of the two roads. It was a noted resort in early days, and an important stopping place on the Cadiz & New Philadelphia road. When wheat was hauled by teams from Harrison County to the Ohio Canal, it was a regular stopping place, and did a rushing business. A dozen wagons standing in the yard was a very common sight. After Mr. Boyd, Nicholas Swenigen, Mr. Kent and Joseph Thompson were proprietors of the house. It was closed to the public years ago.

664 - HISTORY OF TUSCARAWAS COUNTY.

Whisky was manufactured at several little stills in the township, as it was everywhere else throughout the West in those days, and the evils resulting from its use became so marked that a firm stand was taken by some settlers against it. At the first election in the township for Justices, James Boyd and James Gray, the two tavern-keepers were candidates against George Graham and John Iler, members of the Methodist Church. The inn-keepers opened a keg of "free whisky." and by this means carried the election in their favor. The temperance element soon after rallied and obtained control, and have held it ever since. The alcoholic beverage was always an important factor at barn raisings and other public assemblages, until Joshua Leggett, Thomas Milligan, William Rutledge, Reese Baldwin and others put forth determined efforts against it and finally abolished it.

John Maxill built a little mill on Stillwater, which would grind corn about as fast as a yoke of oxen could eat it. He was a squatter, and also operated a distillery. The Langdon Mill, as it is called, was built as early as 1835 in the southeast corner of the township. For some time it was the only mill within a radius of manv miles.

Most of the earliest settlers had scarcely the rudiments of education themselves, and devoted little attention or expense to the instruction of their children. The first school is said to have been taught by a Mr. Russell in a log house about three miles east of Uhrichsville. John Pevard gave the first instruction in the northern part of the township. He was a cripple, and gave private lessons at his home in the eastern part of Section 30 about 1824. Thomas Walker was the first teacher of a regularly kept school near Rockford.

The township contains three Methodist Episcopal and one Christian or Disciple Church. Rockford Methodist Church is a neat frame building, which was erected about twenty years ago. It stands in the eastern part of Section 36. The class was organized at a private house, and for some time the meetings were held at the cabins of Mark Herron and John Irvin. Among the early members were Samuel Carnes, Venassa Carnes, Abel Lemasters and wife, John Lemasters, John Irvin, Mark Herron, Rees Baldwin, Hanson W. Roby and wife, Nathan Leggett, John Belch and Joseph Belch. A log church was the first house of worship, occupying the site of the present building. The lot was donated by Alexander Gray. Rev. William M. Dickerson is the present minister.

Wesley Chapel is situated near the center of the township, on the northwest quarter of Section 27, the farm of William Rutledge. The society was organized in 1830, at the residence of George Graham. For four years, services were conducted at private houses, and in 1834 a log church, 30x40 feet, was built and occupied, with occasional repairs, until 1880, when a frame edifice was reared upon the same lot. It is 35x40 feet in size, and cost about $1,500. The present membership is thirty, and Rev. McAllister is pastor. The old church was furnished in primitive style, including slab seats. The original class included George Graham, John Graham and wife, George Rutledge and wife, William Rutledge and wife, John Rule and wife, Mrs. Ann Brock, Matthew Evans and wife, and several others.

About forty-five years ago, Rev. Henger, a Disciple or Christian minister, visited the township and held a series of revival meetings, at which many conversions were reported. As a result, a log church was built about 1840, on the northwest quarter of Section 20. George Bail and wife, William Middleton and wife, Henry Kreager and wife, Reuben Fail and wife, and John Kreager and wife were members. For a few years the society prospered, but removals and deaths led to its extinguishment, and about 1850 the building was sold to a new Methodist class, which worshiped for a few years in the old log struct-

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ure, then built the present frame on the same site. It is known as Pleasant Valley Church. Charles Leslie and David McCullough and their families, Nelson Barney and John Reed and wife, were early members. The society now numbers about fifty members, and is served by Rev. McAllister, who in addition to this and Wesley Chapel has two charges in Harrison County.

In the extreme southeast corner of Section 19, which is also the extreme southeast corner of the township, close to the banks of Little Stillwater, stands a little church building in which a small congregation of Disciples have for many years held occasional services.

The first church organized in the township was a Methodist society, in 1812 or 1814. The first preacher was Rev. Miner. The first services were held in an old log house, which was warmed in winter by a charcoal fire built on a raised platform in the middle of the room. The first class leader was John Graham.

The township is purely rural. It now contains neither village nor post office. Rockford is the title yet applied to the site of a town plat, but no town is there, only two or three houses. It was laid out by Nathan McGrew and Abraham Ricksecker in 1816, on the southeast quarter of Section 36. The lots were forty-two in number, of equal size, 3 1/2 x 12 perches, and all fronted on the main street extending north thirty degrees east. Neither proprietor dwelt in the village, and a supposed insufficiency of the title deterred some from settling here. At any rate the village never prospered. It may have had six dwellings at one time. A post office was at one time kept here, of which Thomas Furby was the first Postmaster. Washington Walker was the merchant for many years, and John Pharis recently removed from Rockford the stock of merchandise he had been offering for sale. Dr. John D. Walker practiced medicine here for many years, until his death about 1878. James Gray, Nicholas Crites and Adam Loveless were tavern keepers at different periods.