HAMILTON COUNTY OHIO - History (published 1881) Harrison Township - pgs 312-318 (1)

**************************************************************************
USGENWEB ARCHIVES(tm) NOTICE
     Copyright.  All rights reserved.  
     http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm

All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the 
contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US 
Copyright Laws and Regulations.

In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, 
these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research.  They 
may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and 
submitter information is included.

These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit.

Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission 
from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites.

The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the 
file permanently for free access.

http://www.usgenwebarchives.org     
**************************************************************************
File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by
Tina Hursh
ribbit@clubnet.isl.net
http://www.rootsweb.com/~ohhamilt/histhc/mnindex.html
April 15, 2000
Transcribed by Karen Klaene
***********************************************************************
Harrison Township - pgs 312-318
***********************************************************************

History of Hamilton County Ohio with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches. 
Compiled by Henry A. Ford, A.M. and Mrs. Kate B. Ford, L.A. William & Co., 
Publishers; 1881.          

pages: 312-319

             
                                   ~pg 312~
                                       
                                 HARRISON
                                       
                         HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION

This township had its origin in the manifest need of a new municipality for the convenience of
the increasing population in the northwestern part of the county, which in 1855 caused the
erection by the county commissioners of Harrison from Crosby and Whitewater townships. It is
the northernmost township of the county. Its boundary lines are wholly artificial, and begin on
the dry fork of Whitewater, at the southeast quarter of section thirty-three, in range one,
township three; thence westward three miles to the county and State line; thence north six miles
to the Butler county line; thence east three miles to the northeast corner of section four; thence
south to the place of beginning. Dearborn county, Indiana, lies next to the westward; Butler
county on the north; four miles of Crosby and two miles of Whitewater townships on the east;
and Whitewater township on the south. 

Harrison lies altogether upon Congress land, in the west half of the third township, range one. It
thus contains eighteen sections of land, which cover a little more territory than so many exactly
full sections, by reason of some divergence of meridian lines in the easternmost tier, making
some of them a little broader than should be. The central and western tiers are beautifully
regular squares, appropriately exact. The acres of the township number eleven thousand one
hundred and forty-seven. 

Harrison township lies chiefly in the valleys of the Whitewater and Dry fork of the Whitewater,
giving its surface a generally flat and fertile character. The former stream enters from Indiana
upon section nineteen, half a mile south of Harrison village, and flows in a tortuous course of
about three miles through four western and southern sections of the township to its point of exit
nearly half way across the southern township line. The Dry fork skirts the southern half of the
eastern line, with several ins and outs, and an exceedingly winding course, leaving the township
finally almost exactly at the southeast corner. LEE's creek, with two other tributaries flowing
into the Dry fork in Crosby township, partly or wholly intersect the northeastern part of
Harrison; and some of the headwaters of Whitewater river, flowing to the west of 
~pg 313~ 
Harrison village, have their source in the northwestern part of the township. The southern half of
the township is mostly low, belonging to the bottom land of the streams; the northern half is
more elevated, and broken into ridges by the wear of water-courses, and very likely other
agencies, through the milleniums of geology. 

The Whitewater Valley railroad, keeping pretty close to the river whence it takes its name,
enters, like that, the township below Harrison village, and runs for about four miles to a point
half a mile east of the river and a little more than a mile from the southeast corner of the
township, where it departs into Whitewater township. The Whitewater canal formerly had its
course in part through this township, nearly on the same line as the railroad, and also
terminating, so far as Hamilton county is concerned, near Harrison village. Its history is
recorded in a chapter of part I of this book. The Harrison turnpike also comes in from the
direction of Miamitown, near the southeast corner of section twenty-eight, and runs thence in a
nearly straight and due northwest course across the township to the village of Harrison. 
                             ANCIENT REMAINS.

The limited tract of Harrison township does not abound in ancient remains, but still possesses
some of interest, as the mounds on BONNELL's hill, in the eastern part of the township, which
are understood to be among the burial-places of the long-gone race in the valleys of the
Whitewater and the Great Miami. 
                              EARLY RELIGION.

About 1803 a regular Baptist church, attached to the Miami Baptist association, was organized
in what is now the northern part of Harrison township, and took the name of Dry Fork of
Whitewater church, a singular name for a church of immersionists, truly. In 1836 this society
went off with the anti-mission Baptist churches, and is said to have lost its identity altogether in
1853. At this time the majority of the association, in membership and vastly so in number of
churches, including this one, joined the anti-mission standard. 
                             THE MORGAN RAID.

The great event in the brief history of this, the youngest township of Hamilton county, was the
John MORGAN raid, which occurred ten years after the creation of the township, or in July,
1863. The invading force crossed it on the main roads, but entered k on but one that through
Harrison village. The advert of MORGAN and his horde at that place was a thorough surprise.
It was known by the people that he was somewhere to the westward in Indiana; but his direction
of march was unknown, and there was no special reason to expect him at Harrison. MORGAN'S
forces were, indeed, considerably scattered in southeastern Indiana, on the twelfth of July, and it
was exceedingly difficult to divine the leader's intentions; but on that day and the forepart of the
next they moved rapidly by converging roads upon Harrison, at which one point they struck
Ohio. About one o'clock in the afternoon of the thirteenth the advance of the rebel command was
seen streaming down the hillsides on the west side of the valley, and the alarm was at once
given in the streets of Harrison. Citizens hastened at once to secrete valuables and run off their
horses; but in a very few moments the enemy was swarming all over the town. The raiders
generally behaved pretty well, however, offering few insults to the people, and maltreating no
women or other person. They secured what horses they could, and thronged the stores, taking
whatever they fancied. The eccentric character of the stealing, as described by Colonel DUKE
in our chapter on the MORGAN raid through Ohio, was manifest here. One gentleman who kept
a drug and notion store was despoiled of nothing but soap and perfumery. He had a large stock
of albums, which were popular then, and expected to see them go rapidly; but not one was taken.
Similar incidents are related of other shops in the village; and from one and another a large
amount of goods in the aggregate was taken. But there was no robbery from house to house, or
from the person; and after a very few hours stay, having refreshed themselves and their horses,
and gained all desired information, the head of the column began to file out of the village in the
direction of Cincinnati, on the Harrison turnpike. Reaching the junction of the New Haven road
a third of a mile out, part of the force took to that thoroughfare, and proceeded eastward through
Crosby township, crossing the Great Miami at New Baltimore. The remainder kept down the
Harrison pike, through Whitewater township, crossing the river at Miamitown. Their passage on
both roads was attended by no special incident, and was of course entirely unopposed. That
same night found the invading force abreast of Cincinnati, and the next day out of the county,
after a tremendous midsummer march of thirty hours. But the thrilling story has been related
elsewhere, and need not be further dwelt upon here. 
                             THE OLD SOLDIERS.

For the following list of veteran volunteers from Harrison township, in the late war, credit is
due to the handsome double number of the Harrison News, published Christmas day, 1879: 

Bruce KEEN, Jackson WILLIAMS and Alexander WILES, of company C, Fifth Ohio cavalry,
all reenlisted February 15, 1864, and mustered · in March 16, 1864. 

Christopher DOERMAN same company and regiment, reenlisted March 31, 1864, mustered
in April 25, 1864. 

Arthur HILL, same command, reenlisted March 29, 1864, mustered in April 25th, same year. 

Will R. HARTPENCE, company C, Fifty-first Indiana infantry, reenlisted January 1, 1864,
mustered in February 12, 1864. 

William T. CAMPBELL, George W. PIERCE, Francis M. SHOOK, Joseph DAVIS, William
GOLD, William ORR, and David H. LAWRENCE, Fifty-second Indiana infantry, enlisted and
mustered in February 27, 1864. 

Frank CRETS and Isaac JACKSON, Seventeenth Indiana battery, reenlisted and mustered in
January 1, 1864. 

Patrick HAGGERTY. 
                          NOTES OF SETTLEMENT.

John ASHBY was born in the territory of Indiana, in 1810, June 2nd. Fourteen years after that
date he went to Cincinnati, Ohio. When he came to Ohio he learned the tanher's and currier's
trade, but abandoned it afterward, and, coming to Harrison, entered into partnership with his
brother, Hamilton, for the purpose of trading in dry goods. In 1843 he was appointed postmaster
of 
~pg 314~ 
Harrison, which position he kept for seven years. In 1851 he was engaged by William & Samuel
FERRIS to superintend their store, where he remained four years. One term he served as mayor
of Harrison, and at several different times he has been elected to the office of justice of the
peace, which office he is holding at the present time. He has always been a Democrat in
politics. His first wife, Elizabeth TOOKER was born in 1818, married in 1836, and died in
1854. She had five children: Martin V. B., Olin H. P., George M. D. (married to Clara
ZEUMER), Alice, and Ida. His second wife was Phoebe C. ZEUMER, who died in August of
1879, at the age of fifty-eight. 

Warren TIBBS, born in Prince William county, Virginia, in 1791, emigrated from North
Carolina to Ohio in 1807, when he located his home in Harrison. During his early life he was a
farmer, but afterward followed the hotel business at the place now owned by Dr. THOMAS. At
one time, while a river trader between New Orleans and Harrison, he was obliged to sell his
boat and walk back with no protection excepting his rifle. He was twice chosen to represent
Dearborn county, Indiana, in the State legislature. At different times he held the offices of
postmaster, justice of the peace, and township trustee. In the Indian war he had a part under
General HARRISON. In politics he has always been a Democrat. 

He married Elizabeth, a native of Kentucky, in 1815, who was born in 1794. Her death occurred
at Williamsport, Indiana, in 1875. Her husband died at the same place in 1872. They had ten
children: Alvin G., whose wife was Maria SNYDER, of Harrison; Francis M., married to Tillie
McNELBA, and living in Louisiana; Moses, married and living in Nevada; Loria A., married to
James CLOUD, and now in Indiana; Louisa, the wife first of Simon SMYTHE and afterward of
James TORRENCE, now a resident of Indiana; Loretta, living in the same State; Lydia, the wife
of Doctor MILLER, of Indiana; Martha A., married to Isaac ROSEBERRY, and Elizabeth, to
Henry JOHNSON, both living in Indiana; and one child that died in infancy before it had been
named. 

Alvin G. TIBBS was born in Indiana, in the year 1816. For three years he attended school at
Oxford, Ohio, afterward dividing his time between farming and teaching school. In Indiana he
held the office of justice of peace, and was twice elected to the legislature of that State from
Dearborn county. He married Maria SNYDER of Pennsylvania in 1838. He was a member of
the Christian church; in politics was always a Democrat. He died in 1856, his wife surviving
him. They have had seven children - Theodore, who died while an infant; Fannie, now living in
Indiana; Warren, married to Ellma LAYMEN and residing in the same State; George B., of
Indiana, also, married to Maria GUNKLE; John H., whose wife is Sarah A. KEEN, now of
Hamilton county; Arthur G., now of Lawrenceburgh, Indiana; and James W., married to Emma
HILLMAN of the same State. 

John F., son of Alvin G. TIBBS, was born in Harrison, in 1845, where he gained a common
school education to which he added three years at Oyler's college. In 1859 he learned the
miller's trade which he followed- for a time but finally gave it up and engaged as clerk with W.
W. DAVIDSON & Co. In 1870 he began the business of "Men's Furnishing Goods" which he
still follows under the firm name of TIBBS Brothers, the only store of the kind in Harrison. He
is a member of the Christian church; served one term on the board of education of Harrison. He
married Sarah A. KEEN, a native of Indiana, in 1868. They have four children, John, Bertha,
James, and Arthur. 

William F. CONVERSE was born in Randolph, Orange county, Vermont, June 10, 1812.
Attending the Orange County academy, he took the regular course of study. When sixteen years
old he went to Rochester to live, where he served an apprenticeship to the gunsmith's trade. In
1836 he came to Hamilton county, and at first settled in Cincinnati. There he entered the employ
of Abel COX in the manufacture of guns, on Elm street. After remaining there three years he
came to Harrison and opened an establishment for the manufacture of guns. After a short time,
owing to ill health, he sold his interest to Henry MINOR. He left his trade and followed school
teaching for three years; he then engaged as bookkeeper and cashier for William HASSON of
Harrison. In 1849 he invented the simultaneous screw cutting machine that came into general use
in a short time. In 1861 invented the elastic wire bed bottom, an article generally used
throughout the United States. In 1846 he was elected representative from Hamilton county on the
Democratic ticket, and afterward reelected. In 1853 he was elected to the State senate, and two
years later reelected. In 1863 he was elected on the Union ticket county commissioner. At one
time he also held the office of trustee of Harrison township, and was elected the first mayor of
Harrison, He is a member of the Christian church; in politics an independent, always voting for
whom he may think the best man. He married Margaret J. SNYDER of Hamilton county, Ohio, in
1847. They have eight children: Augusta and Francis, of Hamilton county; Oliver, married to
Cora BALL and now in Stark county; William, married to Rebecca WEST and residing also in
Stark county; Frederick, living in Harrison; Annie, living in Harrison county; and Edith and
Bertha, both of Harrison. He served as president of the school board of Harrison for many
years, was always interested in educational matters, and was the first to organize the present
school system in Harrison, writing and putting up the first notice to call a meeting over thirty
years ago. He was the prime mover, too, in the organization of a cemetery board, and has been
president of the Glenhaven cemetery for the past twenty-five years. 

George ARNOLD was born in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, in the year 1784, but emigrated from
New Jersey to Ohio, and settled in Elizabethtown, Whitewater township. In 1828 he moved into
Indiana, where he remained thirty years. While there, he was representative from Dearborn
county two successive terms. He was also elected county commissioner for the same county.
Later in his life he returned to Ohio, where he remained till his death which occurred in 1866, at
Lawrenceburgh, Indiana. He was killed by a fall from his carriage. He married 
~pg 315~ 
Mary EADS, of Kentucky, who died in 1856. She had eight children. He then married a lady of
Harrison, who had one child. For many years he was an elder in the Presbyterian church. He
always took deep interest in all public improvements, and contributed liberally for the support
of the church. He was also a leader among the Free Masons, having joined the order at an early
day. The children are: James, married to Mary KISHLER, and living in Hamilton county;
Samuel, married to Elizabeth HAND, and now in the State of Illinois; Mary J., the wife of James
L. ANDREW, and now in Indiana; George W., married to Hannah B. HERRIN, and in Hamilton
county; Clinton C., married, and living in Kansas; Richard C., married to Laura WALKER, of
Indiana; William M., married to Louisa HUGHS, and now in the same State as the preceding;
Eveline, the wife of Mr. BRUNSON, and now of the same State; and Martha J., now living with
the second Mrs. ARNOLD in Pennsylvania. 

George W. ARNOLD was born in Elizabethtown, Ohio, in 1823, where he began the business of
farming and stock raising, in which he is now engaged. When seven years of age, he went with
his father to Indiana, where he remained till 1855. As a Democrat, he held the office of
township trustee several years. In 1855 he returned to Ohio, and settled on the farm, where he
now lives. Since coming to this State, he has held the offices of trustee and school director. In
1844 he was married to Hannah B. HERRIN, of Ohio. They have had eight children: Joanna,
Emma, John H., Mary, George W., married to Helen, and living in Hamilton county; Charles A.,
married to Kittie CALOWAY and also now in Hamilton county; Purley and Katie. 

Andrew M. WAKEFIELD was born in Hamilton county, January 11, 1819, and died November
10, 1873. He always followed the business of farming, at the same time served several times as
trustee of Crosby township. Early in life he was a Presbyterian, but later became a Methodist. In
politics he was a Democrat. He married Phoebe Alberton, a native of Ohio, and of Welsh
descent. 

W. F. WAKEFIELD was born in 1844, in Crosby township, where he received a common
school education. He remained on his father's farm till twenty-one years of age, when he
attended school at Farmer's college at College Hill. From there he went to Mr. NELSON's
Commercial college at Cincinnati, where he remained but a short time, accepting a place as
bookkeeper in the wholesale house of D. B. DUNLEVY & Co. This position was followed by
that of soliciting agent for a grain commission house, when, after two years of service he spent
some time in travelling through the Indian territory. Returning to Harrison, he married Emma
SHOOBRIDGE, and has held at different times the offices of corporation clerk of Harrison, and
assessor. Since his marriage he has been twice in the employ of Mr. G. W. KEEN in the grocery
business with John SMALL, in the saw-mill business for himself, and at present, is bookkeeper
for James CAMPBELL. He is a member of the Presbyterian church, and a Democrat in politics.
He has two children. 
Robert CARY was born in Lynn, New Hampshire, January 24, 1787, and moved with his father
to the Northwest Territory in 1802, and settled in Cincinnati, but eventually moved to College
Hill. A soldier in the war of 1812, he was with General HULL at the surrender of Detroit. His
death took place November 13, 1866. He was a quiet, upright man, respected by all who knew
him. In 1813, he was married to Eliza JESSUP, of Hamilton county, Ohio, who died July 30,
1835. They had nine children: Rowena, married to Isaac B. CARRIHAN; Susan, married to
Alexander SWIFT; Rhoda, Alice, Asa, whose wife was Leah A. WOODRUFF, of Hamilton
county; Phoebe; Warren, whose wives were Martha A. TREMPER and Emma TREMPER, of
Hamilton county; Lucy; and Elmira, married to Alexander SWIFT. 

Warren CARY was born in Hamilton county, October 16, 1826, where he received a common
school education and also took a course of study at College Hill. He is a farmer, in which
business he has been engaged nearly. all his life. In politics he is a Republican; in religious
belief a Universalist. His three. children are Robert, Alexander S., and Clarence W. 

Robert CARY was born in Hamilton county, in 1850, where he received a common school
education and also a two years' course at College Hill. He married Eliza WILSON, of the same
county, in 1874. They have two children, Elmira and Martha. He is a farmer in business, in
politics a Republican. 

Matthew BROWN, a native of Ireland, was born in the year 1753, but emigrated to Ohio from
South Carolina, and settled, in 1803, on the farm now owned by John Baughman, in Harrison.
He was a farmer by occupation, a Democrat in politics. His wife was Jane Jones, a native of
South Carolina. She had eight children: Nancy, married to Samuel Harlen, and living in Indiana;
David, married to Susan Gladwell, and also in Indiana; Katie, the wife of George Harlen, and
living in Iowa; Robert, married to Katie Cotton, also in Indiana; Samuel, married to Betsey
Atherton, and living in Indiana; Sarah, the wife of Thomas Goulding, of Indiana; Betsey, married
to Isaac Ferris and residing in Hamilton county; and John, married to Sarah HERM, of the same
county. 

  

-----Continued in Part 2-----