HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, OHIO - 683

CHAPTER LI.

FEARING TOWNSHIP.

Establishment of the Township—First Election—Statistics—Commodore Whipple for Once Gets Too Much of the Water—A Stream Named from a Dinner—Cannel Coal—The Duck Creek Settlement in General—Thomas Stanley—The Mill Question—Levi Chapman— A Block-house Built—Names of Settlers Before aoo—Allen Putnam's Death—Later Settlers—The Doctors of Fearing—The Mills Destroyed by Flood and Indian—Forgotten Schools—Charles Shipman the Earliest Teacher Remembered—Discipline in the Olden Time— Pioneer School-ma’ams —School in a Barn—An Early Library Association—The Fearing Religious Society—The Congregational Church—Methodism in Fearing—An Old-time Camp-Meeting—The Zion Methodist Episcopal Church—The Church at Cedar Narrows— The Two German Churches— The Stanley Cemetery—An Old Man —The Chapman Cemetery.

TOWNSHIP number three, in range number eight, was, on petition of John Porter and others, established March 8, 1808. As formed, it was six miles square. On the eighth of February of the following year the western tier of sections, by act of legislature, were detached and annexed to other townships. The further diminution of territory, which made the township as it now stands, occurred in r861, when the township of Muskingum was formed.

The township was named for Hon. Paul Fearing, who was, at the time of its establishment, serving as county commissioner.

On the fourth day of April, 1808, the electors met at the house of Henry Maxon and elected the following officers : Henry Maxon, clerk; Thomas Stanley, John Porter and Resolved Fuller, trustees; Simeon Wright and Joel Tuttle, overseers of the poor; Solomon Goss and John W. White, fence viewers; William Stacy, jr., and John Miller, appraisers; Didier Gerez, Isaac Hill, Daniel Dunchew, Henry Maxon, John Porter and Ebenezer Nye, supervisors; Daniel G. Stanley and George Nye, constables; Solomon Goss, treasurer.

The present officers are: Hebry Knock, Jacob Schramm, Daniel Ludwig, trustees; Charles Schimmel, clerk; Christian Gerber, assessor; J. J. D. McVaig, treasurer, and Daniel Marsch, justice of the peace.

The population of Fearing in 1840 was ten hundred and nineteen; in 1860, one thousand five hundred and eighty-nine; in 1870, one thousand three hundred and fifty-eight; in 1880, one thousand two hundred and seventy-five. In the Presidential election of 1880,

Fearing township voted as follows : Hancock, Democrat, one hundred and ninety-six; Garfield, Republican, one hundred and four.

The township as it now exists, is six miles of a transverse section of the lower basin of Duck creek, extending almost across the basin, from the Little Muskingum ridge to that of its larger namesake, being four miles in breadth, and thus containing twenty-four square miles. Salem, Lawrence, Marietta and Muskingum townships bound it from the north around to the west. The boundary ridges of the basin of Duck creek lie partly within and partly without its eastern and western borders, and aside from these, Fearing has no important water-sheds. It therefore gives all its water to Duck creek, which stream enters the township three-quarters of a mile east • of the northwest corner, and leaves it on the southern boundary three-fourths of a mile further east, making one huge bend to the east in the lower half of this course. The tributaries flow, for the most part, east or west, with a southerly tendency. The principal one is Whipple's run. It rises in Liberty township, a mile and a half from the southwest corner, near which it enters Fearing and flows west, with a large southerly bend, to Duck creek. In early days, it is said, Abraham Whipple and a party of surveyors, finding the stream too high to be crossed, felled a tree across it, and while using that for a foot log, the old sea captain fell in and nearly met his death. The unnamed stream was afterward described as the "run Whipple fell in," and this soon became condensed into "Whipple's run."

Passing down the left bank of Duck creek, and crossing several small and mostly unnamed streams, a creek is reached a mile below Stanleyville, called Sugar run. Farther down, an inconsiderable stream flows north into Duck creek, named Brush run.

In the winter of 1794-5, as the Chapman family were pushing their way up the wilderness by the natural pathway of Duck creek, to their future home near Whipple's run, they passed near what is now the Cedar Narrows, at the mouth of an unknown stream that flowed from the west. It was New Year's day, and they celebrated the holiday by the only practical, and, no doubt, acceptable way they could—by eating their dinner. Naturally enough, they afterwards would refer to that stream as New Year's creek, and the name still distinguishes the run. So the story goes.

The only other considerable run that drains the western part of the township enters Duck creek just above Stanleyville.

The country is not so rough as further north in Aurelius township and in Noble county. Still the hills are numerous and upright. To escape from among these barriers the larger streams are obliged to pursue very devious courses, and, as it were, to exercise all their ingenuity to find the Ohio.

As is characteristic of Duck Creek valley, bottom lands are not extensive when compared with those of most streams; still, in some places, as just above Stanleyville, the spectator can overlook from some bordering hill quite a stretch of rich, level farms. This is, of course, very

684 - HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, OHIO.

desirable farming lands, except where too liable to sudden visits from Duck creek after heavy rains. In the higher lands the soil is not uniformly rich, the red being the most esteemed, and the light-colored or white soil being very poor. Limestone, the foundation of fertility, is not as abundant here as in other parts of the basin. Perhaps the largest formation of this rock appears in the neighborhood of Stanleyville.

SETTLEMENT.

From Marietta as a centre there issued three secondary colonies—to Belpre, Waterford and Duck creek. The latter was the smallest, and is least mentioned in previous histories. It is generally referred to as situated on the forks of Duck creek, but settlers made homes at different points farther down the stream. The necessity for a mill was perhaps the strongest influence that opened up this creek to the settlers. At the close of the Indian war, which began in 1791 and lasted some four years, the settlement lost most of the element of danger, and it is then we find the oldest permanent settlers of Fearing and Salem moving up the Duck Creek valley. Levi Chapman and Thomas Stanley, sr., were the first two to settle within the twenty-four square miles now called Fearing. Stanley was one of the prominent men in the Marietta settlement, to which he and his family had already come in 1790. In 1792 he was appointed constable of Marietta He remained in this town till the close of the Indian war, when the family came to what is now section eight in Fearing township. His connection with the mills at that early date will more properly be treated further on. He was born in 1752. Mixenda, his wife, was born July, 1766. Anna S., his first wife, was born in 1760. She was the mother of Daniel G., who was born in 1785, in Connecticut, and of Thomas F., who was born in 1787. Francis R., born 1738 and dying in Illinois, was the son of his second wife, as was James, born 1789; Nancy, born 1791; Lucy, born 1793; Cynteia, born 1795; Mary, born 1798; Elizabeth, born 1801; Clarissa, in 1803; Sarah, in 1804; Mixenda, in 1806; and George; in 1812. Thomas, sr., died in 1816 and his wife in 1851. In 1816 Thomas, jr., married Angelina Goldsmith, who was born in Virginia in 1798. Of their children, Joseph Ford is the eldest, and is living at Stanleyville, married Harriet Doan and is the father of Frederick A., Helen A., Edna L., Abbey G., Percival J., Harriet E., and Adelina E. The other children of Thomas are Timothy T., John W., Eliza, Lucy, and Charles A., who is a missionary in China.

The nucleus of another settlement near the present site of Whipple station was formed by the settlement of Levi Chapman, sr., who landed at Marietta in 1794, with a family of eight boys and four girls, having emigrated from Saybrook, Connecticut. He remained in the fort a short time, and then moved to the above mentioned place, attended by a guard of soldiers, who aided him in the construction of a block-house. With this place, the commander of the fort kept communication until peace was made with the Indians.

Shortly afterward Joel Tuttle settled about a mile and a half above Stanleyville. He first came to Waterford township in 1789, having been born in Connecticut in 1740. He died in Fearing in 1823. He served as justice of the peace, and held various other township offices. His wife, Lucy Calkings, died in New England.

Simeon Tuttle came from Connecticut to Ohio in 1791, aged fourteen years, and settled in Fearing township. His death occurred in 1817. He was an 1812 soldier, justice of the peace several years, and husband of Phoebe Everett, of Pennsylvania, whom he married in 1801, and of whose ten children are living: Lucy M., married to Robert Ward, of Fearing, and Simeon E., in San Francisco. Five died young. Three died at maturer years: August, Sarah C. Maxon and Phoebe E. Bevins.

Jonathan Chapman came about this time with his wife, Mary Smith. The rest of the family was David, Levi, Simeon, Jonathan, Ruth and Clara David married Martha Wheeler, and the children of this couple were Asahal, Selden, Enos, Wheeler, Jonathan, Esther, Antha and Mary Ann. Wheeler was born in Cape May county, New Jersey, about 1809, and married Louisa True in 1837. His children are Leander, Hiram and Sylvester. Enos was born about 1801, and came to the township in 1812. Selden, who was born in 1799, and died in 1839, married Elizabeth Stanley in 1820. The children were Oren S., Nancy S., William, Wheeler, Elizabeth A., Louisa M., Julia F., and Esther A. Oren S. was born in 1821, and in 1877 married Ellen S. Palmer. Their young child, Don Selden Thomas, was born in 1880. The common parents of all these sleep in the Chapman burying-ground. Jonathan died in 1820 at the age of seventy-two years, and Mary died in 1837 in her eighty- fourth year.

Simeon Blake came to Adams township from Rhode Island, where he was born in 1770. He died in 1833. He was a militia captain, and owned the old cabin, which stood on the banks of the Muskingum in the mill-yard. He moved into Fearing about 1800, on the farm occupied at present by John Flanders. His wife's name was Lavina Peck, who was born in Connecticut, and died in 1843. Of the children, Susan married Joseph Elliott; Jane, Willard Twiggs; Edward S. is unmarried; George married Cynthia Smith, while Louisa, Martha, and Charles F. died young. Mr. Simeon Blake married Mary Jane Cunningham in 1840. There were eight children. Mrs. Blake died January 30, 1874.

The following is a list compiled from signatures to old petitions of the settlers in Fearing before aoo. Of the Amlins, John, sr., John, jr., Jonathan, James, and Samuel. According to the records of the Ohio company, these occupied five lots just east of the present German church on Whipple's run. John Amlin, sr., was born in Germany, and came to New Jersey, whence he emigrated to Fearing township, where he died in 1816, at which time he was an old man. Sarah, his wife, lived until after 1825. John Amlin, jr., was one of his sons and a farmer. He married Jane Campbell. Elizabeth, a daughter of John, sr., married Ephraim True, another old settler of Fearing. James Amlin married Nancy Campbell Jona-

CHARLES F. BISZANTZ.

One of the early German emigrants to this county was Conrad Biszantz, who came to America with his family, consisting of a wife and nine children, and settled on a tract of land a short distance above Stanleyville, in Fearing township. This tract is still known as the Biszantz farm, and contains about three hundred acres.

Charles F., one of the best known of the children on account of his active business career, was born in Germany August 7, 1830. He worked on his father's farm until he was eighteen years old, when he began clerking in a steamboat. He afterwards engaged in the grocery and dry goods business in St. Louis. In 1854 he returned to Marietta, and opened a dry goods store on Front street.

He married May 27, 1855, Phcebe Zimmer, who was born in Germany April 21, 1832. Her father, Daniel Zimmer, came to America with his family early in 1833, and settled on March Run hill in Fearing township. He was one of the earliest settlers of that locality. His family consisted of eleven children, who came to maturity. Daniel Zimmer died June 10, 1875. Mrs. Zimmer died July 13, 1878, on the homestead. Conrad Biszantz, father of Charles F., died February 2, 1877. His wife had preceded him, having died August, 1875.

Charles F. Biszantz, the subject of this sketch, continued his dry goods business until June, 1861, when his store was consumed by fire. He again began mercantile business on Front street, in partnership with his brothers, but this partnership did not continue long. In 1863 Mr. and Mrs. Biszantz opened a restaurant on Front street, known as the Sigle House. Mr. Biszantz's next business was to buy the Lowell mill which he continued to own but a short time. In 1864 he purchased the historic old house on Butler street, which was built by Colonel Lord, and converted it into a hotel. He presided over the Biszantz house as landlord for fourteen years, when failing health made it necessary for him to retire. During the same period he was engaged in the oil business. He also had an interest in the Harmar mill, and in a ferryboat across the river. He removed to the farm at the extremity of Green street in 1878, and died there January 13, 1880.

Through all his life he had a faculty for acquiring money and property. But while we are paying him the respect his busy life demands, we must not fail to give due credit to his energetic, economical helpmeet who still survives. To her as well as him is due the credit of acquiring a competence which will soften the path of old age, and give the children a start in the course of life.

The family consists of three children: Ella Louisa was born June 24, 1856. She was married November 16, 1880, to Peter Kuntz, of Marietta. Charles was born January 10, 1858, and died when ten months old. Frank Buell was born November 25, 1859. He lives on the farm with Mrs. Biszantz.

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, OHIO - 685

than Amlin was a stone mason in Fearing township who moved afterwards to Marietta and died in Newport, Washington county, in 1846, at the age of seventy years. He married Elizabeth Twiggs. Samuel Amlin was also a farmer, who died in 1872, at the age of ninety-four years. He was married successively to Elizabeth Mitchell, Miss Hill, and Hannah La Rue. Samuel lived at Newport for many years.

Isaac Chapman was below Whipple station. Patrick and Daniel Campbell settled a mile and a half northeast of Stanleyville. Levi Damns mentioned more fully in the history of Aurelius township, of which he was the first settler, occupied the lot just above the Chapman burying- ground. Charles Daugherty owned lot one hundred and twelve, a mile east of Whipple station. John Forthner owned a lot two miles west of the Whipple Run church. Andrew and Daniel Galer held lots opposite Stanleyville, near the west line of the township. Seth Jones owned the northwest corner lot of the township. Henry and Rickard Maxon were on Duck creek just above Stanleyville. The Maxons were a part of the original Marietta boat-load. Allen Putnam held lot one hundred and thirty, a mile northeast of Stanleyville. Conrad Rightner adjoined the Amlins. Mr. Seevers was just north of Mr. Rightner. The Tuttles were on Duck creek, south of the Chapman cemetery. Allen Putnam, who also belonged to the generous boat-load of 1788, the friend of Amos Porter, jr., of Salem township, was another of these early settlers of Fearing. He married Anna Porter, and settled .about a mile north of Stanleyville very soon after the spring of 1797. He was a ship-carpenter by trade, and met his death by falling through a hatchway, while he was at work at Marietta.

Charles H. Morton was at the mouth of Sugar run. Ephraim True, who afterwards moved to Salem township, was on lot one hundred and thirty-eight, northeast of Stanleyville. John Widger was on lot seventy-nine, near Whipple's station.

It will be seen from this that there was no inconsiderable settlement here by the beginning of the century. The great majority of these names occur on petitions dated 1797, showing that their owners came up the creek immediately on the complete return of security from the Indians.

In the southern part of Fearing a family settled early, by the name of Caywood, whence the name of the station on the Marietta, Pittsburgh & Cincinnati railroad at that place. William Caywood settled on the farm now occupied by Henry Pape. His wife before marriage was named Phcebe Moore. Of his family, Thomas married Harriet Maxon, and settled in Fearing; Jonathan married Eliza Huston, and also remained in the township; Phcebe married William Gill, and went to Marietta; Joseph Caywood settled in Lower Lawrence. He was a leading member of the Presbyterian church, and was born in Prince William county, Virginia, in 1799. He joined the family in this county in 1820. Eliza Caywood married Joshua Reed, of Marietta township. A. Jackson lives in Fearing, at Caywood station. He married Eliza Stanley and Elizabeth Hill.

Other early settlers of Fearing were the McKees, Robert, William, John, and Alexander. These moved to the settlement where Caldwell now stands, and their descendants are prominent members of that community to-day.

In the year 1806 another addition was made to the neighborhood. Nathaniel Kidd came from Pennsylvania, where he was born in 1800, and lived until 1880. His wife, Mary Hill, born in 1796, died in 1866, and was the mother of Isaac, C. J., N. E., and Jesse M. The first two live respectively in Lawrence township and Marietta; the latter two live in Fearing township.

Walter Athey came from east Virginia, and settled in Fearing in 1810. There he died in 1855; after holding various local offices, marrying Clarissa Goldsmith, and raising the following children: Walter, now in Bonn; John, in Nebraska; Elizabeth, in Indiana; Solomon, in Kansas; Hezekiah, in Fearing; William, in Fearing; Sarah, in Elba; and Samuel, in Illinois.

Hezekiah married Phoebe M. Huggins in 1855, and has these four children: Frances, Elizabeth, Rufus, and Etta. By his first wife, Mary Ann Tidd, the children were: C. W., James L., and Annie.

In 1811 one who is yet a resident of the township, Mr. William S. Price, came, then an infant of a year. He is a native of Virginia, and is possessed with a very distinct recollection of early times, in all that made them so different from the present. His home is about a mile from Caywood station.

Philo Doan was a settler in the northern edge of the township in 1812. His antecedents were settlers in Noble county, and are mentioned more particularly in the history of Salem township. Philo married Sibyl Chapman in 1839, when he was thirty-one years old. About 1856 he moved to Stanleyville. His children are Anna Kemp, William Henry, William P., Joshua P., and A nseL

Reuben McVay was another one of the early settlers. The date of his settlement is 1813, when he came from Pennsylvania, where he was born in 1792, and died in 1860, in Newport township. During his life he was justice of the peace, and held other township offices. Margaret Hill was the name of his wife before her marriage, and she was the mother of Charles, Joseph, Elizabeth, Rosanna, and Luther, of Newport township, and J. J. D., of Fearing. Two died in childhood. Martha Cable, Mary Ann, Marie, and William are also dead. J. J. D. McVay married Miss Ann E. Kidd in 1855, and has had ten children: Dudley died when small; George F., Mary R., Ellsworth, Elizabeth J., Francis A., J. J. D., jr., Dewey F. and Juliette D. (twins), Augustus, and Otto are living with their parents. Mr. J. J. McVay has been a teacher for eighteen years, and several times honored with offices by the citizens of the township.

James Dowling came to the township in 1814, from Ireland. The immediate place from which he removed, however, was New York. He taught one of the first schools in Fearing township, and was a teacher for twelve years. He married Sallie Harris, and died in 1814. His son, John, still lives in Fearing; James is in Illinois; and

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Margaret Post is at McConnelsville; Lewis, Elisha, and Harriet are dead. John married Phoebe Perkins in 1836, and has four children living—Sarah J., Wilson S., Belle, and Henry A. Mr. Dowling has been justice of the peace and infirmary director nine years each, and has held many other local offices. Thomas B. Dowling married Hattie Smithson, and has one child.

Robert Ward emigrated to this county in 1818, with his father, Thomas Ward. He married Lucy M. Tuttle in 1827, and had ten children, six of whom are living: Julia Ann Douthett, of Salem; Simeon T., of Kansas; Matilda E. Hill, of Fearing; and John C., Everett R., and Alice M., also of Fearing. Phoebe Augustus, Augustus T., and two infants are dead. Robert Ward was never naturalized.

James Lowe was another settler, who hailed from Virginia, married Rosanna Haback, and died in 1818 in Morgan county.

In 1818 H. C. Hovey also came to Fearing, and in 1822 married Clarissa Stanley. The two removed in 1830 to Salem township.

John P. Palmer, another settler, is now represented in the township by his son, Thomas, who married his wife, Ellen, in 1847, and has the following children: William, Albert (dead), Ellen S., Jewett, A., Thomas F. (dead) Margaret J., John P., Emiline S., Almerta, Alzora, Gifford, and Sivellus. Thomas P. has held offices in the township, and is much interested in politics, taking an active part in that line.

About 1820, Dr. Hicks entered the township, but practiced very little. Heretofore, all the medical service in Fearing was done by Marietta physicians. In about 1830 Dr. Quimby settled just above Mr. Guetteau's place.

Dr. J. F. Ullman, the only doctor now in Fearing, has been practicing here for two years, ever since his settlement. He came from Monroe, but was born in Noble county in 1853. His wife, Mary E. Lane, was born in this county in 1858. Mary Leona, their child, was born in 1877.

Amos Dye was an emigrant to Lawrence township in 1804 from east Virginia, where he was born in 1796. He died at Marietta. His wife was Marie Taylor, and children were Sophronia Chamberlain, Perlina Spencer, Edith Webster, Eliza Brooks, Charlotte Groff, Dudley Dye and Amos Dye, jr., John R., 'Annie, Henry, George W. and Mary, infants, are dead.

John Whittock, a native of England, was a resident of the township until 1879, when his death occurred. He was born in 1794, and married Miss Julia R. Chapman, who was born in 1816.

John Young, sr., was an emigrant from Virginia, who came to the township in 1833. His birth and death were in 1764 and 1854. He was a native of Scotland, and his father fought on the side of the British in the Revolutionary war, from the battle of Lexington to the surrender of Cornwallis. Mary Darling, born in 1770, died in 1855, was his wife and the mother of John and Betsey, of Fearing.

William Brown first settled in Belmont county in 1806. He came to Washington county in 1834. His birth place was near Harper's Ferry, Virginia, and he died March 4, 1878. His wife, Margaret Nicol, was born in aro and died 1858. The children were Marie Yeomans, James P., and Frank S., of Fearing; Kate Broadhurst, of Barlow; John B., of California; Daniel N., of Dexter City; and William H., of Marietta. Annie M., Mary E., and Hattie A. are dead. James Brown still lives on the old homestead.

About this time was the beginning of that German emigration to Fearing that has since made it essentially a German township. In 1832 the Donaker family came from Germany and settled in Fearing. This was probably the first beginning of the German movement to this township. Shortly after, the Sayler family arrived, also from Germany.

Conrad Biszantz and wife, Eva Huffman, settled in Fearing township in 1834. He was born in Germany in 1801, and his wife was also born in Germany. Six of their ten children are living, three in Washington county. Mr. Biszantz died in Marietta in 1876, surviving his wife four years.

Jacob Zimmer came to Fearing in 1836 from Bavaria, where he was born in 1789. He married Elizabeth Schramm, and the children were: David, Charles, and Daniel, of Fearing; Elizabeth Lehnard, Catharine Buck, and Caroline Strauss, of Marietta; John, of Ironton; and Jacob, who died in 1878. Daniel Zimmer married Elizabeth Young in 1855. Eleven children are living—Catharine, Daniel J., Elizabeth M., Amelia Matilda, Lewis, Jacob, Caroline, Clara, Edward, Ella Lena, and Helen Frances.

Theobald Zimmer came to Fearing in 1836. He was a native of Bavaria, Germany, and was born there in 1817. His wife, Catharine Hoffman, was born in 1824. Their children now in Fearing are Charles and Daniel ; Elizabeth Lehnard, Catharine Buck and Caroline Strauss are in Marietta. Jacob died in 1880.

C. W. Zimmer married Carrie E. Lehnard in 1876, and has two children—Nettie and an infant. He is president of the township board of education, and takes great interest in politics.

John D. Pape settled in Lawrence township in 1839, whence he came from Germany, where he was born in 1798. He died in Lawrence in 1842. The children of Mr. Pape reside as follows: John D., Marietta; Adeline Dinkleman, Cincinnati; Detrick and Henry, Fearing; Martha Wischmire, Cincinnati; Annie Geiger, Cincinnati. Two died in infancy.

Detrick Pape married Mary E. Eifler in 1849, and has six children—Adeline Brown, Marietta; Francis Stevenson, Marietta; George H., Fearing; Charles, Marietta; Clinton A., unmarried; Nora A., unmarried, and William, who died when young.

Theobald Boesshar was the son of Jacob and Louisa Boesshar, and came to Fearing in 1852. He was born in 1833, and in 1856 married Elizabeth Schramm, who was born in 1838. She died in 1878. The children are Caroline, Maria, Elizabeth, Jacob, Catharine, Maria Magdalena, John Jacob, Louisa, Edward Theobald, Bertha,

WILLIAM BROWN.

William Brown was a native of Virginia, and was born near Harper's Ferry, in 1804. When he was four years old his parents removed to Belmont county, Ohio, and during his younger years our subject operated a distillery. He married in Belmont county, in January, 1830, Margaret Nicol, a daughter of Daniel Nicol, of Fearing township, this county. Her parents were Scotch people of high respectability. They were rigid members of the Methodist church, and exacting in their honesty and morality.

Soon after he was married, Mr. Brown purchased a farm near the present homestead, at Caywood station, in Fearing township. He afterwards purchased the farm on which he died, and which is now owned by his heirs. The family consisted of ten children: Catharine was born in November, 1830. She married Whittington Broadhurst. Maria was born in 1832. She married Richard Yeomans, and died in 1869. John was born in 1834, and lives in California; Daniel was born in 1836, and lives in Dexter city, Noble county, Ohio; William H. was born in 1838, and lives in Marietta ; Ann H. was born in 1840, and died in 1876; James P. and Mary E. (twins) were born in 1844—James P. lives on the homestead, Mary E. died in 1860; Frank S. was born in 1847, and lives on the homestead; Hattie, the youngest, was born in 1830, and died in 1868. Mrs. Brown passed away in 1838.

Mr. Brown was a man of modest and retiring habits. He was a farmer, and his only ambition was to earn a comfortable competence and lead an honest, upright life. Aside from the routine of farming, he dealt in cattle, and in that way formed a large acquaintance among the agricultural classes.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Brown were members of the Methodist church, and to the last were contented by a simple and religious doctrine, undisturbed by that skepticism so common to more pretentious people.

Mr. Brown died in 1878, having lived an honorable and profitable life.

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Emma, and twins named Wilhelmina Philipina and Philipina Wilhelmina.

Lewis Motter emigrated from Germany to this county in 1850, and located in Fearing township with his parents, John and Elizabeth (Huffman) Motter, who had fourteen children, eight of whom are living. In 1860 he married Elizabeth Biszantz, daughter of Conrad and Eva Biszantz. By this marriage there are two children. Mr. Motter has been in the bakery and confectionary business in Marietta since 1865.

John Bules settled in Stanleyville in August, 1872, in which month he married Kate Trautner. He has been engaged in blacksmithing ever since his arrival. His children are Lizzie, Phoebe, Kate, and John.

F. C. Trapp, a German preacher in Fearing township, first came to this part of the county embraced in Muskingum township in 1872. The following year he removed to Fearing, where he is now engaged in ministerial work. He was born in Germany in I831. In i860 he married Catharine Kaiser, whose birth occurred in 1825. His children are Charles, Mary, Anna, and Henry.

The virtual beginning of the settlement, as has been implied before, was the attempted and finally successful erection of mills on Duck creek. In 1790 Colonel Ebenezer Sproat and Enoch Shephard commenced building mills in the southern part of the township, under an agreement that they were to receive one thousand acres of land if the mills were finished by September 1, 1790. But a freshet destroyed their dam and did such other damage that the terms of the agreement could not be met.

In the same year, farther down the creek, Mr. Robert Potts began a mill, but lost his labor and expense by the breaking out of the Indian war. The Indians swept through this valley and destroyed everything that could be found, these works not being excepted.

Also Thomas Stanley attempted to build mills and a still-house further up the creek, five miles fron- Marietta, but failed with the rest. But although the mills and other enterprises were not put in successful operation, yet reference is made to them in fixing locations as if they existed. Thus we find mention in the road records of "Stanley's still-house" as early as January, 1794. But we find that the mills were rebuilt.

But we find that the mills were rebuilt. In a petition for a road, dated January 5, 1797, is mention of "White's mill." As the petition was accepted March, 1798, the first date is probably an error for 1798, caused by the not uncommon lapus penna at the beginning of a year. In a subsequent petition, dated 1799, White's, and Sproat's mills are referred to also, "Esquire Stanley's old mill on congress lot," and in the plat of the road, the position of the former mill is fixed at the crossing of the road, which goes past the Methodist church near Wesley station. In fact, the petition was for this very road.

Thomas Stanley made his second and successful attempt at a mill in about a year after the close of the Indian war. He also built with it a saw-mill, which was the first in the township. In connection with it was a powder-mill, a fulling-mill, and a distillery, all three alike being a necessity in those days. At the same time he erected the first frame dwelling in the township.

The first brick building was not constructed until about 1831, when Isaac Chapman built one. In about 1811, Mr. Stanley built the mill at Stanleyville, on the site now occupied, after being rebuilt two or three times, by the mill of Theobald Bceschar. Shortly after, and before 1812, Carlisle's mills were constructed, near the north boundary of the township.

In the neighborhood of 1836, William I. Gray built a saw-mill and machine shops, and did, for a short time, some manufacturing of furniture. The turned pieces were mostly forwarded to Marietta, and there made into furniture. Mr. Gray called his works the Stanleyville mills, and in this way the town took its name, and very properly, too, from the old settler who had done so much for it.

The town is at present the only one in the township. and contains two stores, two blacksmith shops, a Congregational church, a grist-mill, carpenter shop,, and a post office.

In a collection of manuscripts, made by Dr. Hildreth, is the following petition for one of the early roads through Fearing township. With the aid of what has been stated regarding the position of the farms referred to in the petition, the road can be easily traced and identified with existing ones:

To the Honorable Court of General Quarter Scrims of the Peace of the County of Washington:

Your petitioners request that a road may be laid out from Marietta to the forks of Duck creek and on to Mr. Tolman's in the most eligible situation to be taken past Pott's mills, so called, or any other place that should be found more convenient hereafter, from thence on to a ridge, keeping the same ridge to the Cedar Narrows, so called, thence following the creek by Mr. Widger's, then past Mr. Levi Chapnlan's, and crossing the creek and on to the forks of Duck creek, from thence to the mouth of Pawpaw and on to Mr. Tolmon's.

Which your petitioners, as in duty bound, request a committee may be appointed for that purpose. Signed,

SAMUEL NASH,

JOSEPH CHAPMAN,

LEVI CHAPMAN,

AMOS PORTER,

DUDLEY DAVIS.

SETH JONES,

LEVI DAINS,

JOEL TUTTLE,

LEVI CHAPMAN, JR.,

EZRA CHAPMAN,

LINUS TUTTLE,

SIMEON TUTTLE,

JOHN WIDGER,

ISAAC CHAPMAN,

JOHN CAMPBELL,

Thomas Stanley, Surveyor, June, 1797.

The settlement having been formed so early, and yet being the object of no little attention by earlier historians, it becomes difficult, and sometimes impossible, to find the first events and enterprises. The first school is probably not retained in the mind of any one now living. It is remembered that Charles Shipman taught a school in 1804 or near then—that in the northeastern part of the township, Hannah Perkins, near 1807, and afterward Clarissa Plummer, taught.

In about 1812, a Mr. Coleman taught below Stanleyville. The pupils, raised in the open air, trained to hardy pursuits, and free from most of the restraints now everywhere existing, were very little inclined to obey the pedagogue. He accordingly submitted to superior physical force and abandoned the job of teaching before his term was out. A Mr. Gallant was employed in his place

688 - HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, OHIO.

with the agreement that he Was to: teach his term out or he would receive no pay. One day the larger, pupils brought their skates to school and disobeyed a rule by skating, that “nooning.” Gallant excused all the smaller ones, locked in himself and the disobedient ones, produced a heavy ball bat, which he had charge of when not used in their play, and engaged in a lively knock-down melee with the young giants, in which he came out completely victorious. It is said that he had no trouble thereafter. This illustrates the spirit of those pioneer times —the preeminence accorded to physical courage and force and the rough. and ready way of settling difficulties. Gallant was followed by Corner, who; in turn, was succeeded by James Dowling, who taught for twelve years at different schools. One of the early lady teachers was Miss Betsey Maxon, who taught at the mouth of Sugar run.

About : 1814,. Mary: Gross taught a small school of young scholars in an old log barn.. It was one of those double barns consisting of two "pens" separated by a third division which alone had a floor. In one of these pens was held her school, consisting of Philo and Anna Doan; *Betsey, Rebecca, and John Carlisle ; Betsey and Julinda Kidd; Hiram Chapman,. and others. The school was'. held in summer time. Before that, school was kept in a school-house on Whipple's run. The principal text books then in use, were the Testament and Webster's spelling-book. Not much improvement has since beet, made on either. It is known that Walter Stevens taught school at Cedar Narrows, at a very early date. In 1851, the last select school in the township was taught by John Douglas.

While on the subject of education, it should be noticed that Fearing township was the seat of one of the very early libraries of the west. About 1810-13, the books were purchased by inhabitants of the township. It was a private affair, and in 1816 was incorporated The articles of incorporation limit the property besides books, maps, charts, and the like, to three thousand dollars. As officers until an election could be held: Thomas Stanley, Robert Baird, and Elisha Allen were made directors; John Miller treasurer, and Daniel G. Stanley librarian. In time the association dissolved, the books were distributed among the shareholders and many remain yet in: private libraries of their descendants. Many books are of a. religious nature, and all are of the weightier class of reading. The latest date noticed on .the title page as date of publication, is 1813. In the back fly leaves of many books, are the notes of damages and fines written by the librarian on the return of the book. The principal disasters to the works are from grease spots—suggesting the light of other days.

CHURCHES.

A record of the earliest church in the township (the old Presbyterian church of o) appears in the history of Salem township, although it belongs alike to both townships. The old church-building was constructed in 1814, in Stanleyville, on land given by Thomas Stanley: Regular religious services continued until about 1848.

An organization styled the Fearing religious society, was incorporated January 29, 1813, by John H. White, Simeon Tuttle, William Caywood, Daniel G. Stanley, Robert Baird, Isaac Hill, and associates. It was under the auspices of no particular denomination. It was reorganized in 1837, and going down again, was reorganized again in 1853, for business purposes—a dispute having arisen about the ownership of the church property hitherto owned by the Presbyterian church.

On the demise of the Presbyterian church in Stanleyville, three years elapsed and a Congregational church was organized in. 1851. A building was erected in 1856, which is still standing. The pastor at that time was Rev. G. L. Fryes. L L. Fay followed him, and his successor was Rev. Riddle. The present pastor is Rev. C. S. Erwin.

About 1820, a Methodist church was organized in the southern part of the township. One of the most energetic, and perhaps the principal of the organization, was Elder Swormstead, who is well remembered as possessed of a powerful voice, his sermons being audible to a great distance. The meetings then were held in an old school-house, not far from the site of the present Methodist church building, near Wesley station. Among the old members of this church were Underhill Lynch, Abraham Daniels, John Price, Daniel Nicholls, James Brown, William Brown, Lewis Dowling, and their wives, also Mr. Quimby and Deborah Craff.

Quarterly meetings were held sometimes at the house of Mr. Underhill Lynch. In 1847 the church-building was completed, on land given by Mr. Lynch. About 1863 the parsonage was built.

The first camp-meeting in the township was held in 1822, in a sugar grove, on Mr. Lynch's place, near what is called the "overhead bridge" on the railroad. At the second camp-meeting, in about 1840, the pulpit was built between two large sugar trees. Now there was a singular character in the neighborhood at that time—an old worn- out slave, nobody knew how old. He was one of those whose appearance would indicate almost any age—the older, the better the guess.

Complexion as black as coal, long, skinny, claw-like fingers, known to everyone as "Frank" (his real name was Francis Lee). He lived the existence of a local nomad, sleeping oftentimes in a hollow log in the woods. This character, some of the wilder sort, who attended this camp meeting, armed with a horn of loud and blatant tone. While the preachers were at supper, Frank and horn ascended one of the sugar trees that guarded the pulpit. The foliage screened him from immediate observation by the large audience which assembled at the evening meeting, and so he remained until the ferver of the meeting was at its height. Then, at a signal from one of the crowd, the impersonator of Gabriel awoke the echoes with a terrific blast. The audience, however, was not so superstitious as that of Lorenzo Dow in the old story, for both they and the minister preaching saw and recognized the trumpeter. In an instant the preacher was transformed into an axe-man, and to save himself from being cut down, Frank, who had made his debut as Gabriel, assumed the role of Crocket's coon, and came down, or rather slid down, with more velocity than dignity.

JOHN C. WARD

was born in Fearing township, Washington county, Ohio, May 6, 1843. His father, Robert Ward, was a native of Cheshire, England, and emigrated to this country when a single man. He eventually found his way to this county, where he married Lucy M. Tuttle, and settled in Fearing township. He died July 28, 1879. His widow still survives and is living with her son.

Our subject spent his youth upon the farm, and enjoyed such educational advantages only as the common schools furnished, but of them he made diligent use. When he was nineteen he commenced teaching school, and subsequently taught seventeen terms, generally during the winter months, and working on the farm in the summer. Two winters he taught the Wagner school in Muskingum township, and walked from his home to his school and back again every day, a distance of three miles. He was elected township clerk of Fearing in the spring of 1866, and reelected in 1867. He served for four years as member of the school board of his township, and has always shown a lively interest in the cause of education. He was an orderly sergeant in the militia, and served in the Morgan raid.

Mr. Ward is in politics a Democrat, and in 1872 was a delegate to the State convention held at Cleveland, and again in 1873 was a delegate at Columbus, when Hon. William Allen was renominated for governor. He is a member of Palmer Lodge, No. 351, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and past grand of said lodge.

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, OHIO - 689

A second Methodist church was organized perhaps half a century ago, and held meetings at first in a schoolhouse, just above Stanleyville. The preachers at the time were Messrs. Kellogg and Lewis. Members were Walter Athey, who was class-leader; John Collins, John Whittock, Joseph Cass, and their wives, also Jesse Hill, Maria Whittock, and Jennie Britton. About 1839, the congregation built a log structure in which they worshipped for eighteen or twenty years. Then the present frame church, east of Stanleyville, was erected by Mr. H. Athey.

Mr. Lewis, of Lowell, has now charge of the church which is known as the Zion Methodist Episcopal church, and belongs to the Lynch circuit.

A branch of the Congregational church of Stanleyville, finding it inconvenient to attend from a distance, built a church for themselves near the Cedar Narrows. The building was erected in 1873, by Thomas Flanders. The church flourished under the pastorship of Rev. Levi L. Fay and has now about thirty members.

The advent of the Germans, among other things, has resulted in the establishment of two churches in Fearing —the First Protestant Evangelist church, and the St. Jacob's church. The former was founded at almost the beginning of this phase of the settlement. As is characteristic of the German churches, the building was erected cotemporaneously with the organization of the church. It was located near Whipple run, and may yet be seen. In 1872 a new building was erected, and the old, having finished its work, was forsaken. The land on which it stands was purchased from Daniel Biehl. The ministers have been as follows: From the organization until 1852, Rev. Schreiner; from 1852 to 1873, Daniel Hirsch; thence to the present, F. C. Trapps. The church has now fifty-two members.

The St. Jacobs church originated in 1858, as follows: In the summer of that year a number of Germans of the southern part of the township met for the purpose of establishing a church. Several concluded to withdraw from the enterprise, leaving only eight heads of families to continue the work. Nothing daunted, they undertook their great task. Their first step was to obtain a church site. This they did of Mr. Chapman, who owned land a mile west of Stanleyville, and who gave a part of it for this purpose on very liberal conditions. The church was erected, a plat set apart for a graveyard, and when the building was complete it was dedicated by Rev. David Hirsch. The eight builders organized and framed a constitution for a congregation.

This was in the early part of January, 1859. The names of these eight founders are: Jacob Biehl, Theo- bald Mueller, Friedrich Bules, Mr. Trautner, Franz J. Spindler, Michael Mueller, George Adam Trautner and Jacob Schumann.

Since then nineteen families have joined the organization, making in all twenty-seven. Eight of these have with4awn—three on account of removal from the township, and five from a wish to be unconnected with the church.

The nineteen families composing the church in March, 1881, include five of the original eight families. An admission fee of three dollars is charged for the privilege of membership.

Six ministers, besides Mr. Hirsch, have attended the spiritual wants of the congregation. Mr. Hirsch, with a trifling exception, has been pastor twelve years—the first six years of the existence of the church, and also since April, 1873.

The oldest burying-ground in the township is that at Stanleyville. Perhaps the oldest grave is the one containing the remains of Major Thomas Stanley, who died March 14, 1816. Besides other members of the Stanley family, we find that many old families of the township have availed themselves of this spot as a resting place for their dead. The tombstones bear such names as Collins, Leedham, Whittock, Hodge, Blake, Caywood, Lankford, Cousins, Amlin, Athey, Hill, Kidd, Miller and Morris. The oldest person buried in the yard is Robert Collins, who was born in England in 1762, and died May 6, 1871, in the one hundred and ninth year of his age.

A half mile to the south of the Cedar narrows is the old Chapman cemetery. Originally a private burying- place of that family—begun in about 1816—others availed themselves of their courtesy until, besides the Chapmans, some of the Johnsons, Carlisles, Flanders, Tuttles, Warrens, Guitteaus, Beardsleys, Morgans, Sinclairs and Hazens rest in the little plot.

At the church near Whipple's run, east of the Cedar narrows, there are two graveyards. The later one was begun in 1875, the old ground being filled with graves. This old one has been in existence since 1846, when Peter Biehl died and was buried there.

Near the Cedar narrows is a burial place on the Flanders farm. Members from the families of Flanders, Stewards, Penns and Seevers are here laid to rest.