PAGE 685 - WAYNE

CHAPTER XXII.

YORK TOWNSHIP.

SAME-ORGANIZATION-POST OFFICES-MINERAL WEALTH-SURFACE AND STREAMS -ELECTIONS AND OF OFFICERS - FIRST SETTLERS-EARLY SCHOOLS-CHURCHES.

YORK TOWNSHIP received its name from York County, Penn., whence a goodly share of its pioneers emigrated. It is one of the seven inner townships of Tuscarawas County, irregular in shape, and is bounded by Dover, Goshen, Warwick, Clay, Jefferson and Auburn Townships. Its western portion consists of fifty-fire 100-acre military lots, the eastern part, of about z

686 - HISTORY OF TUSCARAWAS COUNTY.

thirteen sections of Congress land, six 100-acre lots, besides a small tract, of irregular outline, in the northeast part. It was organized December 1, 1828. with the following boundaries: Beginning at the center of Township 8, Range 3; thence east five miles; thence south five miles, to the center of Township 7, Range 2; thence west two and one-half miles; thence south two and one-half miles; thence west two and one-half miles, on the line between Townships 6 and 7, to the center of Range 3; thence north seven and one half miles to the place of beginning. It thus included the eastern part of Jefferson and nearly all of York, as now constituted, with small fractions subsequently annexed to Goshen and Warwick.

York is distinctively rural in its character. The records of plats fail to exhibit that any town plat has ever been laid out within its bounds. Located within a few miles of New Philadelphia and Dover, the necessity of a home village has not been felt. The construction of the Marietta & Pittsburgh Railroad down Stone Creek Valley, ten years ago, has destroyed its wholly agricultural nature. Two railroad stations are situated within its limits Black Band, on the extreme southern line of the township, and Yorktown, near its center. At the former is a general store, owned by Jacob Foehl. A post office was established here after the railroad was in operation, but subsequently Daniel Bear was appointed and the post office removed to Yorktown. Henry Espenschied was his successor, and the present dispenser of mail. The original name, Black Band Post Office, was retained, but has since been changed to Yorktown. Recently a post office was reestablished at Black Band Station and called Deardorff's, but the original name, Black Band, has been restored. Mr. Foehl is Postmaster. At Yorktown are a few scattered buildings, which may entitle the locality to the appellation, village. Emanuel Mathias keeps a grocery, and Henry Espenschied is the owner of a jewelry store. blacksmith and a shoe shop also exist in the vicinity.

The Mineral resources of York are widely distributed and valuable. More than twenty mines and banks of coal have been opened and worked in the township, and there are many more that may be operated when needed. Large quantities of coal have been shipped, and the citizens of the township use it generally in place of the wood which was formerly their fuel. Black-band iron ore has been found and extensively mined. The deposit found in Shull's Hill has proved a valuable property to its owner, Jacob Blickensderfer purchased fifty acres of land, including this hill, for $500, and sold the land for $300, reserving whatever minerals it t contained. His administrators sold the reservation to David Miller for SOW. and he disposed of a two-thirds interest to Rhodes & Card for about $3,000. The ore taken from this bank has netted its owners $120,000.

The surface of York Township is hilly. Its principal stream is Stone Creek, which traverses the township from southwest to northeast and divides it almost equally. Old Town Creek flows in an almost parallel course through the southeastern part. and both streams enter the Tuscarawas in Goshen Township, scarcely more than a mile from their exit from York, the latter stream at a point almost opposite the site of the Moravian Mission, Schonbrunn. whence the name Old Town was probably derived. These two streams. with their many little branches. drain the entire surface of the township. Oak. hickory. poplar, sugar, beech, elm, and in fact nearly all varieties of timber indigenous in this latitude, including a little cottonwood, have been found in York.

Township elections have been held at many places. In the early years of York's existence, the cabin of Samuel Deardorff served this purpose. The residences of Henry Ankney and William Ross successively became the voting

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places, which was then transferred to Yorktown. Frank Garnand's house was next brought into requisition, and used until the present election-house, Ankney's Schoolhouse, was selected. The following is an almost complete list of the township magistrates, with the dates of election:

George Bugher, 1829: George Bugher, 1835; Michael Nedrow, 1838. Edward Edmunds, 1839; Michael Nedrow, 1841, resigned 1844; Edward Edmunds, 1842: Joseph Kollar, 1844; Amos Kimmell, 1847; Simon Fackler, 1848; Amos Kimmell, 1850, resigned 1852; Simon Fackler, 1851; Moses Bugher. 1852; Simon Fackler, 1854; Joseph Shull, 1855; Simon Fackler, 1857; Moses Bugher, 1858; Simon Fackler, 1860; Adam Bugher, 1861, resigned 1862; Moses Bngher, 1862; Paul Bucy, 1863; Francis Ankney, 1865; Paul Buoy, 1866; Francis Anknev, 1868; Paul Bucy, 1869; Solomon Humrickhouse, 1871; Paul Bucy, 1872; Solomon Humrickhouse, 1874; Rudolph Meyer, 1875: Solomon Humrickhouse, 1877; Francis Ankney, 1878, Benjamin D. Shearer, 1880; William Kinsey, 1881; Francis Ankney, 1881.

The Congress land in the little valleys of Stone Creek and Old Town Creek were the first settled portions of the township, and among the first Congress lands entered in the county. When it was located. the price of land was $2 per acre, and tracts less than a quarter-section, or 160 acres, could not be entered. The earliest settlers were principally Pennsylvanians, and of German origin, They were a thrifty, contented and well-to-do class of people, for quite a number of them entered two or more quarters, and very few of the earliest pioneers removed from the farms which they had here wrested from the wilderness, and their descendants still inhahit the land. The hills of the township were settled slowly, and before all the land was occupied, forty acre farms could be entered for $1.25 per acre. Many indigent Swiss and German emigrants thus procured homesteads at little expense, and now com. pose the larger portion of the population. They are an economical and industrious people.

The first settler on Stone Creek and in the territory that now constitutes York Township was John Shull. He hailed from Somerset County, Penn., and in or about 1806 left his old home, with his wife Elizabeth and six children, and traveled by team to New Philadelphia. Thence he was obliged to cut a road up Stone Creek to the north half of Section 16, Range 2, Township 8. Henry Shanaman, his "hired hand," accompanied him, and assisted Mr. Shull in building the first cabin in the township, by the side of a spring near the present dwelling of Gabriel Shull, in the northeast quarter of Section 16. A band of Indians had encamped here, but by making them a peace-offering of provisions, Mr. Shall prevailed upon them to remove about a half-mile further down the creek. John Shull was by descent a German, and of the Lutheran belief. He died in 1833. His wife survived him a few years. They had twelve children--Frederick, Sarah (Bugher). Mary (Casebeer), Benjamin, Jacob, John, Peter. Samuel, Joseph, Gabriel, George and Abeam -several of whom still reside in the township.

Jacob Gimlin was the second settler in the little valley of Stone Creek, arriving about six months later than Mr. Shull. Like his predecessor, be entered two or three quarters of land, and built his cabin on the southeast quarter of Section 15, now the farm of Henry Fisher. He was of German extraction. and a member of the Lutheran Church. He resided on his farm up to the day of his death. which occurred not until he had attained a ripe old age. Several of his sons afterward occupied farms in this vicinity, but the family name has now become extinct in the township.

Philip Kuhn and Francis Gernand were the next occupants of the soil of Stone Creek Valley. They were Germans, and emigrated in 1809 to York

688 - HISTORY OF TUSCARAWAS COUNTY.

Township, from York County, Penn. Each had married the sister of the other, and for a few years both, with their families, lived in the same cabin. erected near the site of Frank Ankney's brick residence. Gernand had entered the northwest quarter of Section 25, and Kuhn the northeast quarter of the same section and the southeast quarter of Section 16. Each of these pioneers died on the farm he had founded, and their descendants are still represented in the township.

Henry Ankney emigrated from Somerset County, Penn., in 1815, and settled on the southeast quarter of Section 25, which had been entered by Frederick Shull. In 1826, he died on this. farm, which is now occupied by his grandson, Francis Ankney. About the same time, or a little earlier, Eli Barton, an Englishman, settled on a 100-acre lot in the western part of the township. He raised a large family and afterward removed to Old Town Valley. where he died at the residence of his son.

Samuel Deardorff, in 1811, became a settler on Lot 2 of the fourth quarter of Township 8, Range 3, situated near the center of York Township. Formerly of Virginia, he had lived in York County, Penn., and made his first trip to Stone Creek on horseback, leading a second horse laden with a few simple agricultural implements. He made a clearing of several acres, plowed and planted it with corn, and in September brought his family to the pioneer home. Mr. Deardorff also owned Lot 11, on the southern line of York Township, which his descendants still own and occupy. He was a Lutheran. raised a large family, and died at a ripe old aged on his farm.

John Benfer emigrated from Westphalia, Germany, to Maryland in 1797, and to Tuscarawas County in 1808. He resided for a number of years in Clay Township, and about 1820 removed to the southern part of York. He was a member of the German Reformed Church, reared a large family and passed the remainder of his life in this township. George Bucher, prior to 1820, emigrated from Pennsylvania to York Township, married Sarah Shull and settled on Lot 15, where he died many years later. Henry Pence, a brother-in-law to John Shull, came at an early date from Somerset County, Penn., and entered and settled upon the southwest quarter of Section 15. He was a Luther an, and removed to Hummell Creek, where he died. George H. Putt, a German, owned a small amount of land in the western part of the township, and moved to it earlier than the year 1820. He was a member of the German Reformed Church, and died on his farm.

John Humrickhouse entered the southwest quarter of Section 25, on Stone Creek, about 1815, but died while making preparations to remove to it. His widow and children, however, settled on the place. and Mrs. Humerickhouse afterward married John George Kuhn. On Old Town Creek the earliest settlers were John Grim, Jacob Howe, William Wolf, Henry Shaffer, John Rice and Jacob Fribley. Of these. John Grim came first. He hailed from Yorh County, Penn., and entered and settled upon the northeast quarter of Section 3 some time after the Shulls had arrived on Stone Creek. He brought with him to York Township his wife Elizabeth and several children. His family, in all, numbered eleven children. Mr. Grim remained a lifelong resident of this township, and attained a ripe old age. Jacob Howe accompanied Grim from Pennsylvania, but tarried for a short time in New Philadelphia. He then entered the northwest quarter of Section 3. and settled there with his wife. Elizabeth, and children. who were eleven in number and are now scattered. William Wolf was the third settler in the valley. He came from Bedford County, Penn.. with his family. and stopping with Jacob Howe, that settler offered to help Wolf locate a farm in return for one or two days' work. The proposition was accepted, and Mr. Wolf. after exploring the valley for

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several days, made a judicious selection, entering the northwest quarter of Section 14. Mr. Wolf, and his wife Catherine, died here. They had two daughters and seven sons.

Henry Shaffer was the fourth settler. He emigrated from Washington County, Md., in 1816, and entered and occupied the southeast quarter of Section 4. He had married a widow, Mrs. Julia Ann (Penrod) Hensel, who had five children by her first marriage, and who brought some of them with her. By her marriage to Mr. Shaffer she also had five children. Mr. Shaffer was a member of the German Reformed Church, and died in 1841. His widow survived until 18611.

Two years elapsed, and in 1818 two more families settled in Old Town. John Rice came from Somerset, and Jacob Fribley from Northumberland County, Penn. Mr. Rice located on the southeast quarter of Section 6. He was a Lutheran, and died on Stone Creek. Some of his descendants still inhabit this county. Jacob Fribley settled in Section 3. His wife was Elizabeth (Woods), and they had eight sons and four daughters. His posterity is widely and favorably known in this county. Other settlers, who came a few years later, were Edward Edmunds, John Heller, James Butt and George Kuhn.

In Hummel's Valley William Butt, Jr.. Frederick Hummel and Michael Redinger were early settlers. William Butt entered and occupied the north west quarter of Section 18. He was related to the pioneer William Butt, of Dover Township, was a Methodist and died at New Philadelphia, whither he had removed. Frederick Hummel settled on the southwest quarter of Section 18, which was entered by John Solomon. He was a successful farmer, and is remembered as an excellent conversationalist, and died on this farm. Michael Redinger entered and built his cabin on the northeast quarter of Section 17. He was of the Methodist persuasion, but other climes proving more attractive he sold his possessions in York Township and removed thence.

The first school was commenced in John Shull's cabin in 1813, but before the term was completed the school was removed to the Lutheran log church just erected. It was a German school, taught by Daniel Von Bramer. George Bugher was the second teacher. He taught both in English and German, and held the winter terms in Stone Creek Valley for a number of years. Joseph Barton. Robert Kilgore and Newman Kuhnstahl were other pioneer peda gognes in York. The early teachers received excellent wages for the times about $9 per month and board. The old log church was for many years the only school building in the valley. John Rice was the first pedagogue, and William Barton the second, in Old Town Valley. They taught in a rude log cabin, built for the purpose, on the Shaffer place.

Adam Bugher in earlv times owned and operated for his own and his neighbors' convenience a. little cast-iron corn cracker, which was turned by hand. It was found near the site of Schonbrunn, and was, doubtless, a relic of mission days. Ruhn & Gernand built a water saw mill on Stone Creek about 1814. They also operated a distillery about the same time, where all the whisky needed in the community no inconsiderable amount-was dis tilled. Several small stills have since been run, and it is rumored that the in. itiated are yet able to procure the unadulterated article among the secluded hills. An oil mill was built by John Benfer about 1830, but was not operated very successfully. Deardorff's grist mill, in Dover Township, was of sufficient proximity to obviate the necessity of erecting mills in York. Several Swiss cheese factories are now in operation, and export large quantities of this article.

The German Reformed and Lutheran Church of Stone Creek, Jerusalem

690 - HISTORY OF TUSCARAWAS COUNTY.

Church, dates its origin back to 1815. Philip L. Kuhn, John F. Gernand, George W. Kuhn, John and Henry Benfer, George H. Putt and Henry Shaffer members of the German Reformed Church, and John Shull, the Gimlins and others who were Lutherans, united to build a church to be used also for school purposes. The lot, situated on Section 16, was donated by Philip Kuhn and John Gernand on the one side, and John Shull on the other. In March, 1815, a hewed-log structure was erected, and is still standing. There was subscribed to its erection $287, besides $24.75 in labor at the rate of 50 cents per day without boarding, and $55.50 for stove and stove-pipe. Nails were purchased at 22 1/4 cents per pound, and other necessary material cost proportionately. This church soon became too small, and in 1842 a frame, 30x46, was erected at a cost of $694. It served its purpose thirty- five years, and in 1877 was superseded by the present brick edifice. The first minister was Rev. Abraham Schneider, of New Philadelphia. He was a Lutheran, but by agree ment supplied both congregations. The nearest German Reformed minister, Rev. M. Schmidt, resided at New Lisbon, too remote to preach here regularly. The following ministers have served the German Reformed Church. Revs. M. Schmidt; Henry Sonnendecker, of Wooster: William Reiter, of Shanesville; David Shearer, Jacob Baer, E. Greenwald, H. Colorado. D. March, R. Kabus, J. Steiner, two Mr. Bartholomews, Campman, Klauter. I. G. Abele, Dr. J. G. Zahner, Dr. P. Greding, and J. Wisner, present minister. The records of the Lutheran Church are not complete. The congregations were incorporated in February, 1834, and the first Trustees, named in the act of incorporation, were John M. Benfer and John G. Kuhn. German Reformed. and George Anknev and Bernhart Gimlin, Lutherans.

The first sermon in Old Town Valley is said to have been preached by Rev. John Rhodes, a Methodist minister, at the Fribley cabin about 1822. Revs. Plympton and Scott were early ministers. Mr. Fribley's cabin and barn were used for some time as Methodist sanctuaries. Grim's Schoolhouse then subserved this purpose until a small frame meeting-house was built on the site of the present structure, on Lot 11, near the eastern line of the township. It gave place, in 1867, to the present neat and commodious church. For a time, Jacob Fribley and William Wolf were the only two Methodist settlers in the valley. A little later, Edward Edmunds, John Heller, James Butt and other members arrived, and the society became quite strong. By deaths and removals the membership has considerably decreased. Rev. Scantleberry is the present minister.

St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church is located near the north line of Section 2, in Old Town Valley, on a lot donated by Philip Grim. The congregation was organized by Rev. E. Greenwald. Early members were John Grim, Philip Grim, his son, Jacob Howe, John Rice, Josiah Smith, Henry Fries and Mrs. George Kuhn. The earliest preaching was conducted in a schoolhouse, and about 1838 a log meeting-house was erected on the site of the present frame church, which was built in 1848. For many years the church was supplied by Rev. Greenwalt, and afterward by Revs. Bartholomew, Bickel and Stelling, from the New Philadelphia charge. Since then, Revs. William B. Bechtal, A. R. Smith, L. S. Jones and H. B. Miller have successively been the pastors of this church. A vacancy occurs in the pastorate at present. The membership is sixty-five.